Hypnotic
by mooniestar-69
Summary: In a battle with a powerful demon, Kagome is horribly injured. She is saved by Naraku and it's up to her to keep him from getting the last shard...but how far will she be forced to go? Rated for language and sexy situations. Please enjoy, okay?
1. Destruction

Chapter 1

Kagome panted heavily as she sprinted through the nearly darkened forest, barely making out the trees and bushes speeding past as she ran. Her cold and numb fingers fumbled with her bow and arrow, trying to fit them together in a last attempt to save herself. The loud screeching of the demon chasing her was closing in and she quickened her pace. The moment she felt the arrow fall into place, she held it tight and glanced behind her again. Its eyes were the only things visible, a deep, glowing yellow, and it was gaining fast. Dodging more trees, she found herself in a small clearing covered in dead leaves. She breathed deeply, her mouth dry as she gulped in more oxygen. Now that she had stopped, she felt her legs cramping up and her sides filled with an aching pain.

But not more than ten seconds had passed and the horrifying creature burst through the thicket. For a moment, Kagome had forgotten what she was doing, for the sight of it filled her with a new terror. The clouds had shifted, allowing the half-full moon to shine its small silver light onto the scene. The demon, along with its golden eyes, had rows of razor sharp fangs. The claws on its feet and hands were at least ten inches long each, gleaming dangerously in the moonlight. Its scaly body stretched to fifteen feet long and towered over her immensely, making her feel more vulnerable, if possible. And to add to her fright, the demon's mouth dripped with a potent saliva that burned anything it touched to ashes.

Kagome planted her feet firmly to the ground, her fear partly fading. She couldn't run anymore, so she had to defeat it. Aiming her arrow straight at the creature's heart, she pulled back the end, making the string as taut as possible. She released it… and stumbled back. The monster had let loose and ear-splitting shriek, making her jump. The arrow shot forth, piercing it in its shoulder. The arrow glowed brightly and a loud hissing came from where it struck. In an instant, the shoulder began to rot away and the arm of the demon slammed to the ground and disintegrated. By that time, Kagome had fit her bow with another sacred arrow, aiming once again for her original mark. She released it once more, but never hit it the target.

Fast as lightning, the demon rushed toward her, raised its remaining arm and bringing it down in a huge swiping motion. Its range was so wide that Kagome had nowhere to run. She was caught up in the attack and thrown wildly into a dead tree. The sacred arrow flew up past the trees into the sky, beyond her sight. She fell to the ground, with nothing but dirt to catch her fall. It was all she could do to keep from screaming from the pain, as she felt one of her ribs splinter inside her. She clutched her broken rib clumsily, feeling the damage. Right below it was a large gash where one of the demons sharp talons had sliced through her, doubling her pain. Kagome could barely breath from the excruciating feeling. If she kept quiet, maybe the demon wouldn't find her…

However, even that small wish couldn't be fulfilled, because the demon could smell the copper tang of her blood. Uprooting the tree in one movement, the demon spotted her lying on the ground, bleeding profusely. It slammed its hand down upon her, pinning her rigidly. Kagome couldn't hold it in any longer. She cried out loud, tears streaming down her dirt-covered face. The demon growled low, baring its teeth as if it were smiling at her pain. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the final blow to come.

_'Miroku…Sango…Shippo…Inuyasha…' _she thought, each of their friendly faces coming into view in her clouded mind. She would never see them again, never speak with them again. She didn't want that…she wanted to live!

_'Someone…help me…I've got to live…I can't die…' _Two more of her bones broke and she heard the ground sizzle. The creature's saliva was oozing all around her. Death was so near…she wanted it to be over with. The scene was becoming hazy and black, tunnel vision closing in. Salvaging the last breath she had, she screamed with all her might.

"Help me…someone!" The demon cocked its head, wondering about her sudden outburst. Kagome felt the last of her strength leave her, letting her body go limp beneath the giant hand. Before slipping into eternal darkness, she heard an enormous squelching sound above her, something hot and wet covering her body. The massive pressure on her body was instantly lifted, the cool night air blowing gently upon her…a feeling she would never forget. Her eyes cracked open and she saw another smaller figure above her. It too was dark, with bright eyes glowing…

_Crimson red…_


	2. Discovery

Chapter 2

Naraku sat just on the edge of the shoji door, listening to the empty sounds of the night. His dark red eyes stood out in the darkness, giving the room a more eerie feeling. Tomorrow he would track down Inuyasha and attack. Not to kill him, no...not yet. Only to wear him down. Perhaps he would kill that small fox pup, or that annoying demon slayer, along with that petulant monk. Or maybe he should do away with that girl, the one that is rumored to be Kikyou's reincarnation. From what he has seen, she is extremely powerful, seeming to inherit the sacred powers of the miko herself. Either way, she is a formidable enemy, so he would leave her and Inuyasha for last. The others would be the first to die.

Naraku heard an inhuman shriek from outside, coming from Inuyasha's Forest. Probably some demon finishing up a human meal. But not a minute after the scream, the sacred jewel fragment he had began to throb inside his haori. He took it out and held it, feeling it pulsate in his palm. There were jewel shards nearby. Standing up and sliding the door open, the black-haired lord stepped outside and followed where the jewel was pulsing most. Straight into the forest it seemed.

At this moment, he saw a very small glimmer shoot into the sky, but it was glowing brightly, trailing a pinkish light over the treetops. It couldn't be...it was. There was only two other times he had seen that same shining arrow. One with Kikyou and the other with that girl...Kagome. But which one shot the arrow? Kikyou was famous for her precise aim and she would never be too clumsy as to let one arrow escape. The other was not so skilled, so it had to be her.

The glowing arrow was followed by a shrill yell, a human yell. That confirmed it. Without even donning his baboon disguise, Naraku dashed with lightning speed to the source of the arrow. This was perfect. If he could take her out now, then he should have no problem dealing with the others. Inuyasha might even give up if his precious jewel detector was dead.

Coming into the clearing, he spotted the gigantic, bloodthirsty demon, ready to make its final blow on the prey trapped under its massive claw.

"Help me...someone!" the victim choked out. Not a moment too soon, Naraku called up on the Shikon jewel to heighten his powers. He then drew his sword and slashed the creature to nothingness with ease. The girl's screams stopped immediately and all was quiet again. The ground was now covered in blood, shielding Kagome from sight, as she was drenched in it also. But the Shikon no Tama led him to her. Putting away the portion of his jewel, he slowly walked up to her. She was out cold, maybe already dead. Her own blood mixed with the monsters, her life force fading away to almost nothing. A purely vindictive smirk fell upon his lips, red eyes flashing. And he would finish the job. Raising his bloody sword, he slashed downwards, preparing to end her life for good.

But something stopped him...

"No..."he murmured to himself. It would be all too easy to simply finish her off. No doubt that she could be of use to him somehow, for she could sense the presence of the Shikon shards. He could force her to seek out the remaining fragments and, combined with his collected half and the one that she possessed, the Shikon no Tama would be complete once again. Then he would kill every last person that was precious to her, and then murder the girl herself. She would regret ever getting in his way.

With this savory thought in mind, Naraku sheathed his blade and knelt down beside her, taking in her numerous injuries. She had several gashes along her stomach and her small white shirt was halfway ripped to shreds. Deep purple bruises spread upon her legs and her hair was matted with blood and dead leaves. The powerful lord gingerly slid his hands underneath her shoulders and under her knees. As he lifted her into his arms, a tiny breath of air escaped from her mouth, which if it had been any louder, it would have been a moan of great pain. Something twinged inside of Naraku, a slight pressure in his heart. It was something about holding her very life in his hands that made something twist inside him, an unknown feeling.

Minding her injuries, he carried her swiftly back to the castle, the foreign emotion fading as he ran. The girl was merely a tool, a stepping-stone for his ingenious plan. She was not anything else, nor would he think of her more than a device to help him fulfill his desires. Returning back to his castle, he considered just throwing her into the dungeons and to torture her about finding the jewels for him. But instead, he started from a different approach. If he were to get the information from her properly, he needed to gain her trust, make her believe that he wasn't entirely malevolent. Make her believe in the deceit he would weave around her naïve mind. Completely effortless.

"Kagura, Kanna," he called aloud. They were his own incarnations, of which he created himself. They appeared instantly at his side. Kagura, a slender woman wearing a simple kimono and a large white fan stood at his right, while a small girl wearing all white and holding a small round mirror between her pale hands stood at his left.

"Yes, my lord," they answered in unison. Without preamble, Naraku handed Kagome over to Kagura. She looked at him questioningly.

"Take her to the baths and clean her, then give her a robe to wear. After that, put her in the back corridor in the left room so she can recover. I will tend to her lesions after you finish." The two girls nodded and made their was to the baths. As they disappeared around the corner, Naraku smiled. He had never been this close. So close to victory.

Kagura and Kanna finished their orders of bathing Kagome, and then dressing her in a simple light blue yukata. As the oldest of the three females carried the young girl down to the appointed room, Kanna spoke.

"Why did Naraku not kill her? If they are enemies, he would have finished her off," she said in a monotone whisper. Kagura scoffed at the young child.

"Don't be so simple-minded. He obviously allowed her to live so she could search for the shards for him." The girl was silent for a moment, and then spoke again, a rare thing to hear.

"But...Naraku gathered his own jewels with his own strength. He does not need her," she stated quietly.

"This girl is very powerful," Kagura replied coolly, "He'll use her for one of his insidious plots to destroy that hanyou Inuyasha."

"Naraku is also powerful. He does not need her," the child repeated.

"No?" she questioned softly. They reached Kagome's room and placed her on a small futon. The girl didn't move, except for her steady breathing. Kagura opened the door to leave.

"She's not our problem anymore. Let him do as he wishes." Kanna closed her eyes and nodded, also leaving.

Naraku entered Kagome's quarters when the two girls left, carrying a few cleansing cloths and a washbasin. He paused at the door, not used to having guests such as her. She looked harmless enough, judging from the way she slept so peacefully. But he was not one to be so quick to judge by appearance. He's seen her use her miko powers, even if she hasn't used them to their full extent. She would still be advantageous.

Sitting beside her sleeping form, he inspected her abrasions more closely. His two offspring had done a decent job of cleaning her, but eh deep gashes still gaped openly upon her pale flesh. Setting down the basin, he dipped in a large white cloth in the herb-sprinkled water and began to cleanse her again. He bandaged her neck and arms, which were dotted with various cuts. Then, maintaining his emotionless façade, he removed her yukata and bathed the rest of her wounds. He took special care to not linger on her youthful body, and to not let his willing eyes roam. After wrapping her broken ribs with more bandages, he noticed a star-shaped scar on her left hip. He let his hand brush it lightly, then drew back. He would question her about it later. Following that, he dressed her again and placed the dirty rags and basin by the door for his servants to take away. For now, he would let her sleep...then he would get what he wanted.

A.N: Hello, it's me! Mooniestar69 at your service. ::bows:: As you may have noticed, this is my first Inuyasha fanfic. The only problem is...where is everyone else?!? Well, this is what I like to call a specific fic (I just made that up, don't go looking for it anywhere else) I define it as a fic that fully focuses on only one or two people, in this case, Naraku and Kagome. It's only about what they say, what they do, what they think...need I go on? There might be some "cameos" by other characters, but its mostly background stuff.

What I'm planning to do is make this not more than 6 chapters long...I dunno, I might extend it. But it will be fairly short. And also (can't believe I'm saying this...) this story is seriously based on a (takes deep breath) daydream I had. There, I said it!! Now, I was going to lie to everyone and say that it was a truly random dream...but I really did think this up all on my own. I'm really into guys that are completely insidious and would love nothing more than to indulge in their own selfish desires...yes, ladies and gentlemen...that's what gets me off!!! And I'm WRITING about it! Ugh...sometimes I can't stand myself.

Also, please feel free to read my other stories, they're a lot more light-hearted than this one is going to be. And if you have any ideas on how to continue my two stories "Faithful" and "A small problem" I'm begging you, TELL ME!!! I'm getting cramps from writers block over here!! Anything at all will help me.

Oh yea! Please give me a review, even if its something bad to say about my writing skills (I know they're bad) I love everything I receive. See ya in the next chapter.


	3. Despondency

Chapter 3

Despondency

Kagome was engulfed in darkness, surrounded by an empty void. The only thing visible was herself, floating into nothingness.

'_Where am I? Am I dead?'_ Even her own voice sounded without substance. The last thing she remembered was the sensation of being crushed into the ground. The black void stained into crimson red, like blood, as her memories flashed before her mind. The agonizing pain from running through the thick forest...her arm taut, pulling back an arrow...gleaming, yellow eyes...the torturous press of weight on the weak body...death was so close. She had felt the warm, sticky liquid of fresh blood all around her. She was dead; there was no denying it.

Yet there was one more snip of reminiscence that had appeared. The unbearable weight had been lifted and a pair of ruby eyes gazed upon her.

A terrifying scream tore out of her throat as a new wave of pain rippled through her body. The bloodstained emptiness transformed into a blinding pristine light. She felt like she was under water, rushing upwards toward the pure white light. The agonizing pangs reached their peak and she broke through the surface. Kagome's eyes flew open and she shot up from the futon, panting heavily.

"A...alive," she choked out, "I'm alive." Her words had never been more truthful. Her hands went to her ribs, feeling her wounds and finding that most of her torso had been wrapped in bandages. But who had done it?

A peal of thunder broke through her musings, making her jump. A few seconds later, flashes of lightning lit the area. She seemed to be in a large empty room, appearing to be part of an elaborate castle. Which meant that she was safe, because the castle had to belong to a great lord with much power.

Folding back the cover, Kagome stood up carefully, her body still aching. She needed to go back to her time; she needed some actual medical treatment. She didn't know if whoever had fixed her up had used real medicine of just common herbs.

'_But first things first.' _Kagome rose and slid open the door. She would find her way out of this place, then return home. If she were lucky, she would meet someone on the way and thank him or her for taking care of her. Rain pelted heavily on the roof as she walked down the dimly lit passages. This castle seemed a lot more eerie than she had assumed, and it was dead silent except for the creak of the boards beneath her feet. Nonetheless, she kept searching for an exit.

But as time passed, Kagome found herself to be more lost by the minute. This place was like a labyrinth. And the further she went, the darker wand more ominous the atmosphere felt. Not to mention the overwhelming feeling that there seemed to be another presence near her. She found herself looking behind her back constantly, almost waiting for something to jump out at her. Shaking her head in defiance, she kept walking until then end of the hallway, where the darkness seemed to gather. Although it was a dead end, there was a door that was slightly ajar. Ignoring her growing apprehension, she gently inched it open and peeked inside.

The first thing that caught her eye was a shadowed figure in the corner; it's back turned to her. Was it human? Her eyes followed the line of the creature's shoulder and arm, to find a very human looking hand at the end of its wide sleeve. Relief trickled through her and she took a tentative step forward.

"Um...excuse me," she whispered, grasping her yukata together. The person lifted its head in acknowledgment, showing her that it was listening. She took in a shaky breath, along with another step.

"I wanted to thank whoever had saved me, and tended to my injuries. Could you tell me where they are?" The person did not answer right away, but stood up with his back still facing her. The only things discernible in the shadows were the sheens of ebony down his back, which she presumed was his hair. Using that as perspective, she judged that he was a full twelve inches taller than her. The silence was becoming unbearable as she waited for an answer.

"You were fairly brave fighting that demon," he finally spoke. Kagome stopped in her tracks. Brave? Her?? Last she remembered, she was scared out of her mind.

"I thought I had died," she said, shifting uncertainly. Next to the deep tones of his voice, her words wounded no more than a mouse's squeak. "But I didn't die. Someone saved me," she continued, her voice a bit stronger.

The shadows shifted around the mysterious person before her, and the anxious feeling she had grew until she felt she would burst. Without prelude, he turned around and revealed himself to her. Lightning exploded, showing Kagome the man who delivered her from certain demise. To say the least, she was quite appalled.

"Na...Na...Nara..." She couldn't speak his name out loud, but her mind was screaming '_Naraku!'_ He chuckled lightly at her shocked expression, finding amusement in her wide eyes and her shaking knees. This was a bit unexpected. He thought for sure that she would try to run. She wouldn't make it far if she did, he'd be confident of that. By this time, Kagome had found her voice again, in full volume.

"You?!" she shrieked, clenching her fists, "You were the one that saved me?" He kept smirking, reveling in her yells.

"Yes," he drawled, being straightforward. "I saved you." Kagome wanted to drop down to her knees, to cry and scream. But she held her ground. She needed to know why he would go out of his way to do that. Fortunately, her question would soon be answered.

"I, Naraku, soon to be the most powerful demon on the Earth, has slain another demon in order to spare the life of a simple human: You, Kagome Higurashi, reincarnation of the priestess Kikyou, and a mere miko at that. And what do I get in return?" His voice rose slightly and she stepped back, her eyes fixated on the floor. She abhorred anyone who mentioned that undead woman's name, whether it was Naraku, Inuyasha, or Kikyou herself.

The young girl gasped as her chin was forced up and she found herself staring into the blood-red eyes of her enemy. The smirk was wiped away from his face, replaced with a menacing scowl.

"You should listen when others are speaking to you, girl," he growled lowly. Her first instinct was to look away, to shut him out, but his eyes wouldn't let her. Instead she yelled at him.

"I—hate—Kikyou!!" she bit out angrily, "Don't compare me to her!" At this outburst, Naraku slowly released her, a hint of a smile returning to his lips.

"Oh, forgive me, dear Kagome," he replied silkily, bowing low in front of her, his dark tresses brushing the floor. Was he mocking her? She scowled at him when he straightened himself.

"You haven't answered my question, Naraku. Why did you save me?" she demanded.

"Come now, little miko, don't you think that it was obvious? I want your jewel shards." At that moment, her hand twitched to the hidden necklace around her throat. No way in hell that he would have her jewel.

"That's the last thing I would do," she said defiantly, backing away against the wall. Now she had done it. She knew that he would get angry...attack her, steal the jewel, then maybe kill her too! But he did nothing of the sort.

"I see..." he spoke quietly. He stood up slowly and Kagome stiffened. She'd have to fight him off somehow, but she didn't have the slightest clue how. To her surprise, however, Naraku didn't come at her. Instead he walked to the opposite wall where a small wooden cupboard was placed. She watched him warily as he opened it to reveal several small teacups, jars of tealeaves, water, and a large serving tray. He gathered the items and returned to where he was sitting before. Before her very eyes, he began to prepare the drinks, as if they were old friends! She knew his next offer and she promised herself that no matter what he would say, that she would refuse him.

"Come. Have some tea, dear Kagome," he spoke calmly. She stood her ground, an outright "No". A moment passed and he finished the two sharings. When he looked up, she was practically rooted to the floor.

"Kagome," he began warningly. She wouldn't budge. In a quick gesture, he flicked his index and middle fingers together in a beckoning motion. Instantly, a strong force pulled her forward, then pushed her down to sit across from him. She gritted her teeth when he smiled at her again.

"There. Now, drink some tea." He pushed the cup to her with the back of his hand, then picked up his own cup and sipped. Kagome continued to glare at him. How dare he do this to her! He was toying with her again.

"Bastard..." she muttered, refusing to touch the teacup. Naraku lowered his drink.

"I would drink that if I were you. You're famished after that skirmish with the demon, and who knows when I decide to give you anything to eat or drink again. Also, you're not going anywhere, so don't plan any means of escape. Now...drink." She narrowed her eyes, and then picked up the tiny glass, bringing it to her mouth. She sniffed the content's sweet aroma, trying to smell any poisons. To her confusion, and relief, there wasn't any to speak of. But she still rejected his offer. Unknown to her, Naraku was on the edge with trying to convince her calm peacefully, and he was ready to kill her by now. But he gave her one more chance, an extremely rare thing.

"I would never poison any of my guests, especially those of your caliber. I will not lower myself to that." Kagome thought over his words carefully. She didn't think that he was someone that would go back on his word, but then again, it was her most evil enemy.

But soon thirst overcame trust and she gave her tea a tentative sip. It was delicious! She gulped it down and he filled her glass again, soon to disappear in another five seconds. She was so busy enjoying the simple liquid running down her throat, that she completely missed the gleam in his eyes and the same vindictive smile appeared once more.

"However...I will do whatever is necessary to have those jewel shards. Good night, Kagome." The girl's brow creased in question and set the cup down, her fingers shaking.

"Well, you're not getting them from this girl, I won't let you," she slurred, swaying a bit. '_What's happening to me? The tea..."_ Her body slumped forward and Naraku caught her as she slipped into unconsciousness. The last thing she recalled was his laughter, ringing in her ears.

A.N: I'm so evil...Naraku's so evil...we'd make a perfect couple if not for the whole half-demon thing. And yes it's true! His tea is delicious, not to mention the ::ahem:: delicious after effects (wink wink)

Also, I'm sooooooooo sorry!! My computer is so messed up right now and the Internet is always down, so I'm trying to update while I can. Thank you for the reviews...though I wish it were more... ::sighs:: I can never get enough reviews. So spread the word...there is yet another Naraku/Kagome angsty and slightly romance fic out there...tell everyone!! I wonder...can I write a lemon, but have no romance...and yet it wouldn't be a rape fic...::thinks really hard—er, difficult:: I think I can pull it off. I'll probably have to post it on , I dunno.

See ya in Chapter 4: Delirium


	4. Delirium

Chapter 4 Delirium

Kagura watched quietly as her master subdued the miko. Her passing out had nothing to do with the tea. It was the miasma clouded in the room that made her faint. He simply gave her that drink so she wouldn't get sick or dehydrated. Naraku propped her up against the wall and brushed his fingers along her clavicle until he found her necklace. In one swift movement, he yanked the Shikon fragment from the chain. His eyes widened in amazement. Her shard was as large as his! Without wasting another moment, he took the half that he owned, and Kagome's half and fused them together. The Shikon no Tama glimmered and sparkled in his hand, completely and utterly whole. He grinned evilly XD, and even though the pinkish glow had faded, he could feel the immense power thrumming in his palm.

Kagome tilted her head forward in her unconscious state. Naraku pocketed the gem and turned back to her. Emotionless, he lifted her chin and stared at her face.

"I really must thank you for helping me." Her eyes fluttered, but did not open. He continued, his voice now a whisper.

"You have no idea how trusting you are. You'd let anyone who came your way take advantage of you naivety." He let his other hand sweep up by her hair. The sweetest aroma from her raven locks reached his senses and he inhaled deeply. Humans didn't have this kind of scent, the scent of the fresh spring wind on a cool evening. It was unfamiliar to him, and yet...so natural.

"So strange, yet so..." he trailed off and met his lips with hers. Humans were dirty and useless creatures, the filth of the earth. This girl...she was anything but human, he was sure. Her soft skin and unique scent was that of a tennyo. What other being was she, but an angel?

The young miko began to stir and he parted from her. For now, he would forget about that thought and kill her when she woke, now that he had the entire jewel. He removed his hidden dagger and unsheathed it, poising it over her chest. Her eyes flickered open and blinked. The slender blade gleamed in the reflection of her brown eyes, inches from her beating heart. Her mind and body went numb and she didn't scream. Naraku was stoic, his blood-red eyes clashing with hers.

"You've fulfilled your purpose, little miko. I have the Shikon no Tama...and you, Kagome...you die here." However, he didn't bring the blade down, for Kagome had begun to do the most unbelievable thing.

She was laughing. Whether from the shock of dying or from having a fit of temporary insanity (we all have those), but she was all giggles now. Naraku frowned and pressed the cold knife against her chest, slightly puncturing the skin. She stopped immediately so it wouldn't dig any deeper, but kept smiling at him.

"And what, pray tell, is so amusing?" he demanded coldly. She still grinned and lifted the knife away.

"You are. You can't use that jewel yet. It's not complete."

"What are you talking about?" He didn't wait for an answer, and pulled out them gem. He looked at it from all sides, searching for any missing pieces. The surface was smooth and unmarred, and yet he felt that its power was being restrained somehow. But after carefully inspecting it, he found the flaw of the jewel. A tiny sliver, so miniscule that it could have been mistaken for a crack, was missing from the center of the pink orb.

The dark lord felt his anger swell to a fevered pitch and he wanted to drive the dagger into the conniving wench. But he settled for an interrogation.

"Where is the last shard, girl? Give it to me!" The dagger lay forgotten on the floor and one strong hand squeezed her slender neck. She wasn't smiling anymore and Naraku enjoyed her pain. She couldn't speak, but shook her head from side to side, refusing to give him the information he wanted. He clenched tighter and moved in closer to her, inches from her face.

"You know what I can do to you, wench. The kind of pain I can inflict upon you, the misery you would have." Her breath was coming out in short, labored gasps and her eyes were watering.

"Now tell me where it is, Kagome," he growled angrily. With her oxygen cut off, she used what little breath she had to say one word.

"In...uyasha...ahh..." she breathed. The second the name left her lips, she knew her mistake. The name had one meaning to her, another meaning to Naraku. To her, she always called to him when she was in trouble, only needing to say his name. It was becoming too much of a habit, and she had proved that here. To Naraku, the name was the answer to his question, to the location of the last shard. To Kagome's horror, she realized what Naraku now knew. Inuyasha DID have the last shard! She had given it to him incase someone had stolen the ones she had. If that had ever happened, then he would have the one piece that kept it from being complete.

Naraku's calm demeanor returned and he gently released the pressure on her neck. He smiled, as if it had never happened. Kagome drew in a shuddering breath, the oxygen rushing back into her lungs. Although she couldn't see them, she felt the dark throbbing bruises on her throat forming quickly. He allowed her to catch her breath before speaking again.

"So...Inuyasha has the last fragment, am I correct?" he inquired. She didn't answer, but her silence was a hint enough. In her mind, she was scolding herself harshly.

'Kagome, how could you?! Why did you tell him the Inuyasha had the last piece?'

'I couldn't do anything else! He was going to kill me if I didn't,' another part of her argued.

'Like that matters now! Inuyasha's as good as dead."

'We're both dead.' Naraku let her argue with herself for a minute longer before standing up. He was already forming a plan to take what was his.

"There's no point in waiting. We attack him now." That statement made Kagome jump to her feet.

"We?" she protested, "Now??" He smirked at her outburst, his crimson eyes glimmering. He walked past her to the door.

"Yes, now," he replied, amused with the little miko. Kagome grit her teeth and stood her ground. It was absolutely frustrating that he found everything she said funny. He wasn't going to get his way.

"No." The dark-haired lord turned back to her, his sneer softening into a thin line.

"No? You do not wish to fetch the last shard for me?" She clenched her fists, her muscles tensing up. What she wouldn't give for a bow and arrow right now.

"You heard me. I'm not some sort of slave to do your evil bidding. And I'm not dragging Inuyasha into this. You aren't getting the last piece." She gave him her fiercest glare, wanting to set him on fire with her burning stare. Naraku held up his index and middle fingers and met her gaze with his own ferocity.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter." He flicked his wrist in the same motion as before and Kagome's feet stumbled forward. She braced herself again, trying to strain against the invisible force, pushing and pulling at the same time. She was coming closer and closer to the doorway and to Naraku, until she was right next to him. She felt his hand on the small of her back.

"Good girl," he whispered in her ear. Shivers of terror ran down her back. She had no control whatsoever as her body moved on its own. In a matter of moments, the dark lord had led her out of the ominous castle. She stood there in the light downpour of rain, the sun in the east rising up. She had been awake all through the night, a blanket of exhaustion covering her limbs. Naraku spoke to her again.

"Find Inuyasha and get that last shard." Kagome turned to refuse, but he had vanished! However, she almost jumped out of her skin when she still felt his hand pressing on her back. She swallowed nervously.

"And if I don't?" she inquired. She heard him chuckle in her ear.

"If you don't..." He paused, then grazed his hand up her spine to the back of her neck, squeezing her flesh firmly. The bruises on her skin began to throb again.

"I'll kill Inuyasha and steal the shard myself." He shoved her forward and forced her to walk. Kagome wanted so much to drop to her knees and cry. She was under his complete power, though her mind was still her own. She had no way to defend herself and she couldn't run away if she tried. The only thing she could hope for was Inuyasha's safety, along with everyone else.

As she continued forward, the edge of the sun was barely rising over the treetops, and she saw Kaede's village. She was hoping that Inuyasha wasn't there, that maybe he was out looking for her. He could even be on the other side of the well, which was the safest place he could be from Naraku. She could only hope.

But seeing as how today wasn't exactly hopeful, her wish didn't come true.

"Kagome!" From a distance, Inuyasha came running toward her, leaping over entire houses to reach her. Kagome turned away, not wanting to face him. He skidded to a halt in front of her and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Where were you? Everyone's been looking for you!" he demanded. She looked away and didn't answer. Maybe if she didn't say anything, he wouldn't bother her. Then again, if she didn't speak at all, eh would certainly be suspicious.

"Seriously, tell me where you went, Kagome," he insisted. She sighed and fought the overwhelming feeling to burst into tears.

"I...was attacked," she mumbled quietly. She heard him gasp and he pulled her closer.

"Who attacked you?" he persisted, "Where are they? Are they still alive?"

"No," she choked out, "It was just a demon." She began to tremble underneath his hands, quiet sobs shaking her body. The hanyou glanced down at her neck and saw a smatter of black and blue on her pale skin. He softened his grip, bringing his arms around her in a hug.

"It'll be alright, Kagome," he told her, holding her close. She buried her face into his red haori, weeping miserably.

'If only you knew...'

They returned to Kaede's hut, where Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were gathered. The moment she stepped inside, everyone jumped up. But before they could speak to her, Inuyasha blocked them by standing in front of Kagome. He didn't need to say anything; the glare from his golden eyes was enough, a look that clearly meant, "Stay away from Kagome." (It rhymes! XD)

They reluctantly sat back down, allowing her to step inside. She felt numb, almost blank inside, as she shuffled to the corner of the room. The others didn't say a word as she laid herself on the small futon, curling up like a wounded animal. Tears leaked out from her now dullish brown eyes and she turned over to the wall so they wouldn't see. How could she tell him? She felt helpless only moments before, when Naraku took over her body. She knew that he had let her go for now, but she was supposed to steal the shard that Inuyasha had.

Kagome fumbled around behind her for the covers, then yanked them up to her neck, forming herself into a tight ball. She couldn't do it. She could never betray him like that.

She came out of her musings just in time to hear Miroku and Sango leave, taking Shippo and Kirara with them. The room became darker as the door flap closed and Kagome lay still, staring blankly at the wall. It was better that they left, they shouldn't get involved. She couldn't afford to lose them as friends

A low sigh came from behind her and she peeked over her shoulder. Inuyasha was sitting against the wall near her head, watching her. Kagome shifted herself over so she could face him. His expression was pensive, very different from his usually fiery appearance.

"So what happened when you fought that demon?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know...I just shot it with my arrows," she paused for a moment, staring at him, "and it died." This answer wouldn't usually satisfy him, but since she seemed to be so shook up over it, he decided to ask later.

"Alright," he replied. They stared at each other for a moment. She studied his eyes, soft and golden. Eyes that weren't glaring at her with anger or stubbornness, but calm and peaceful. Eyes that would soon scorn her for betraying him. He blinked, breaking her from her thoughts.

"You should go to sleep. I'll leave you alone for now." He stood up and turned away, leaving her. She sat up. If there was ever a moment that she felt helpless, it was now.

"Wait," she spoke silently, her voice weak and cracked. He faced her and returned to her side, question in his eyes.

"Don't..." she took a quivering breath, "Don't go yet."

"What is it?" She stayed silent, throwing her arms around his neck and crying into his shoulder.

"Kagome..." He pulled her closer and held her shaking form. Wetness seeped onto his skin through his clothes.

"I don't want to do this," she wept, crushing herself to him, "Not anymore. I don't want to do it." Inuyasha didn't ask her what she meant, but gave her comfort by rubbing soft circles on her back. She relaxed after a few minutes, her cries dying down. They sat, wrapped in each other's arms, Kagome's eyes fluttering close.

"I don't...want to do it..." she mumbled.

"You don't have to, Kagome," he whispered. It was probably best to just comfort her. He pulled her away and laid her back down, repeating those words. She fell asleep to the tones of his voice, and he watched her until her breathing became slow and deep. He walked back outside, hoping that she would sleep and forget her troubles.

Dream

"Kagome...Kagome..."

"..."

"Kagome..."

"What is it?" she answered blearily. She couldn't see in front of her. Some sort of thick, white fog blurred her vision. Her body seemed to be floating.

"Kagome," the voice called again, echoing softly in her mind. She began to wade through the smoke, pushing herself forward, searching for the source of the voice. A figure began to materialize before her, a dark shadow that contrasted with the billowing white fog surrounding her. It came closer to her, also floating like herself. As it neared her, she suddenly felt wide-awake. The fog began to clear up, and the void of her dream became black and ominous. She was standing in a room, pitch black and empty.

"Kagome..." There it was again! She whirled around, looking for that shadow that was there only moments before. She was getting a bit annoyed at it, saying only her name and nothing more.

"Kagome..."

"What?!" she shrieked, "What do you—"Something grabbed her by the forearms and threw her down to the ground. She groaned in pain and looked up to see the shadow crouched down over her, holding her down by her wrists. She suddenly became very scared.

"Kagome, you disappoint me. I send you to get one simple shard and you've done nothing."

"Naraku! Get out of my dream!" she yelled, kicking her legs in order to free herself.

"Now now...don't be that way, little one. Appreciate what I've done for you. I save you from death, and I spare you from my wrath, and this is how you repay me?" He was looking at her with those eyes again, making her feel weak and helpless.

"S-Stop it!" she groaned, clenching her eyes shut. (Kinda useless if you're in a dream)

"Until you decide to obey me, I will not stop. I will have that shard by any means necessary." Kagome felt something on her cheek, trailing down to her chin. Of course she would be crying...she was so weak. But the tears didn't feel wet, nor did they travel in a straight line. She opened her eyes to see Naraku brushing his lips over her face. She gasped and was beginning to struggle away when he closed his mouth over hers, kissing her firmly. What...what was he doing?? Her mind reeled with jumbled thoughts as he massaged her mouth with his. He was the enemy! He wasn't supposed to be doing this to her!

His hands were entwining with hers as he kept assaulting her senses. It felt so strange to have his body pressed against hers, to be so close. But as each moment passed, it didn't feel wrong. These feelings inside her, they felt forbidden, a little unnatural, she didn't know if she liked them or not.

Her mind was slowly changing, however, when she tried to take a breath through her nose, but instead opened her mouth. He took this as an invitation and swept his tongue inside, tasting her warmth. Her tenseness melted away as he caressed her mouth and her arms and legs went limp. It was so wonderful.

Meanwhile, Naraku was having his own conflicts. He had merely opened this dream inside her mind to remind her of what she was supposed to do, which was get that last jewel shard. But he had ended up taking a different approach. This girl was so willing, easily bent to fit his accommodations. If this was what it took to make her succumb to him, then he would have to resort to these measures. And it wasn't a bad idea.

At the moment, he had every intention to take it further, to show her what it would mean to submit to him. If things went well, not only would he have the entire jewel, but the miko as well. She could be particularly useful, if persuaded to do so. Simple enough.

He deepened the kiss, and then pulled back, looking down at her. Her cheeks were quite flushed, her eyes almost black with passion. She had enjoyed it, he knew that much.

Kagome lay there in shock. She had enjoyed it...she liked it...what a weakness she had...Her eyes closed again, and she felt defeated.

"Now you will get that shard from Inuyasha, or you will face me," he whispered huskily. She didn't move, but he already knew her answer. She wouldn't get the shard, which meant that he would have to teach her to obey him. And in all truth, he was looking forward to it.

Naraku disappeared and the fog returned, clouding her vision in white.

"Kagome...Kagome..." the voice returned, "Don't forget..."

End Dream

"Kagome!"

A.N. W00t! OMG, so kewl! This is so FUBAR! WTF?? (is smacked by a hard object) Oh-ho-okay, I'm back! Yep, that's Internet lingo for ya! I'm truly sorry for making everyone wait for this chapter; you know... school... tests... ACT...buying manga...downloading anime episodes...it takes up time! But now I have this chapter and a brand-new story up called "I am a Good Samurai" (RK). Go read it!


	5. Decadence

Chapter 5 

Decadence

Dark brown eyes shot open in the semi-darkness, filmed over with hot tears. Her hands clenched the blanket until cramps ran through her palms. Three different voices were ringing in her ears…

"Kagome!"

'Kagome…'

"No! Shut up!" she shrieked, throwing her arms out in front of her, trying to swipe away the lingering image of Naraku burned in her eyes. Someone caught her arms, holding them firmly.

"Calm down," Inuyasha whispered, pulling her close to him. She struggled a bit, still fading in and out of her nightmare, but the hanyou held her tight.

"Shh…you're awake now, it's alright," he reassured her. Her breathing was erratic, her entire body shaking with fear. She never wanted to hear her name again…

"Was it a nightmare?" he asked. She swallowed hard, her head pounding with a headache.

"Yes." Pulling herself away, she wiped away the tears and stared at the floor, clamping her hands until she stopped shaking, trying to calm herself. She didn't want to tell him anything about it. Jumbled thoughts swirled in her mind, each one more ludicrous than the last. But finally she decided on a course of action. She sat up and reached over to her yellow knapsack and pulled out her extra school uniform. She made a circling motion with her finger at Inuyasha, signaling for him to turn away for her to get dressed. After she had put her clothes on, she slipped on her shoes and told him that he could look now. There was a long pause between them before she got the courage to ask him.

"Inuyasha…"

"Yes? What is it?" he responded right away. She looked up at him into his soft amber eyes. Her breath caught for a moment. He looked so worried that she didn't know what he would do when she told him what she needed. It almost scared her for a bit, because she had never seen that emotion so poignant on his features.

"I need you to do something for me."

"Anything, Kagome, just tell me." Her heart clenched painfully at his willingness to help her. She almost went back on her plan, but pressed on further.

"I…" She closed her eyes and breathed evenly. "I need your jewel shard."

"Why? I thought we agreed that I should keep one—"

"Just give me the damn jewel shard!!" she snapped loudly. He jumped back a bit, his ears flattened on his head in surprise. He looked down at the floor…then very slowly reached into his wide sleeve, pulling out a tiny drawstring bag. He paused, and then thrust it out to her, almost throwing it. Kagome caught it and fumbled with the string, opening the leather sack. A glimmer of pink bounced out onto her lap and she picked it up, staring at it. Beyond her vision, Inuyasha looked up.

"What do you need it for?" he asked in a whisper. She carefully dropped the shard in the bag and tied it around her wrist. But as she looked at him, her heart began to ache again. He looked so hurt from her words that she immediately regretted them.

"I just…" she started. She didn't know how to explain without involving him. But she couldn't leave him without an answer either.

"Don't worry about it. I've just got a score to settle. And this way, I'll bring back more shards." The hanyou thought for a moment, and then became concerned.

"Should I come and help you?" The words had barely left his mouth, when Kagome shouted at him.

"NO!!" She suddenly stood up, her mind beginning to whirl again. If he came with her, she would know about Naraku's threat to kill him and how he was in danger. She promised herself that she wouldn't let anything happen to him. Plus, her own life was at risk as well. The bruises on her neck had mostly healed, but the memory of Naraku choking her to obtain information on the last shard was still strong in her mind.

She shook her head and stepped towards the doorway. She would take the shard to Naraku and he would leave Inuyasha and the others alone, and hopefully herself as well.

"I'll be back soon," she said reassuringly, walking out the doorway.

"Wait a minute!" he yelled, getting up and following her. He grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him. She scowled at him and jerked her arm away.

"Don't follow me, Inuyasha! I can do this by myself."

"Well at least tell me where you're going so I know where to find you." She stared at him, taking in the situation. That could be it…if she told him she was going home, he'd be sure to follow her. Then Naraku couldn't reach him there, and he'd be safe.

"I'm just going home for a while. That's all." Inuyasha hung his head, feeling a bit embarrassed by trying to hold her back. She probably had stuff to do back in the future. He learned that it was best not to get involved with that.

Relief began to flow through her as he nodded his head and stood to the side so she could leave. But along with that relief came agony. She didn't want to leave him. She had never known a person she had cared for this much, someone she had cried and worried over. But she couldn't bring herself to tell him how much she really l—

The world suddenly rotated and Kagome was spun around, caught off balance. Inuyasha closed his arms around her in an embrace. She was crushed against him so close she could feel his heartbeat. What was he doing?

"Kagome," he began, "I just want you to know that whatever is happening to you, you'll always have a place to stay here, and you can talk to me anytime about what you're feeling." What? No, she couldn't let him do this. He was trying to draw out what was wrong, to make her tell him what was really going on. He continued to speak in a comforting tone, but it was having the opposite effect on her. He was opening himself up to her, and she would be forced to reject him. Some unknown power was pulling her away from his grasp. If he found out even the slightest detail of her giving the last shard to Naraku in order to save their lives, she wouldn't be able to stop him from fighting the dark lord. She didn't want him to be in danger.

Inuyasha's voice faded back into her mind to where she could hear what he was saying. He was telling her that once they found all the jewel shards, everything would be back to normal once they destroyed it. Then they could all go back to their lives. She could go home. Kagome's mind suddenly snapped forward and she shoved herself away with a sharp cry. Then without looking back, she began to run away from him, the leather bag containing the last Shikon shard bouncing against her wrist. Silver droplets flew from her eyes, hanging gently in the air before splashing onto the ground.

"Wait! Kagome, come back!" he shouted behind her, his voice now far away. But she didn't come back. He stared after her until the forest shrouded her, then he walked back into the wooden house. His soft white ears drooped down against his skull, with nothing but thoughts of Kagome in his head.

The young miko threw herself into the thicket of the forest, the trees rushing past in a fast blur. Her thoughts weren't mixed around like before. There was one idea she had in mind, and she was going to make sure to follow through with it. It would ensure both hers and Inuyasha's safety. She would jump back into the well and keep the shard in a hidden place at her house. That way, nobody could steal it…and Naraku could never complete the jewel. The powers of the Shikon no Tama would be strong, but not whole. She would come back through the well and take the jewel from the evil youkai before he could hurt anyone. How exactly she planned on stealing it from him, she had no clue, but she would figure out a way.

As her tears cleared away along with her mind, she suddenly realized where she was. The small open clearing she was standing in was the same spot where she fought that massive demon before she had almost died. Before she almost gave up.

Before Naraku had saved her…

A small rustling in the undergrowth from behind startled her. She whirled around, clutching the leather sack in her fist. Something was coming near her, and she didn't have her bow and arrows. The unknown figure came into view and Kagome's first thought was 'Run away!' She began to do just that, but some sort of foreign thought came into her mind, telling her to stay. Her legs became rooted to the ground and she began to struggle when she realized that those strange thoughts weren't hers. They were commands! Her body was obeying his words and she couldn't move. She became deathly pale as he advanced upon her.

"Such a nostalgic place, this forest," Naraku stated casually. Their eyes locked and her entire being became frozen in fear. He continued, still coming toward her.

"You should have seen yourself fighting that creature. Only a moment from death when I saved you."

"Let me go," Kagome ordered, straining her muscles away from the hold he had on her legs. He ignored her command and kept walking until he was right in front of her. His eyes glimmered like fresh blood when he saw a hint of fear in her. Getting the last jewel shard from her would prove very interesting. To her utter horror, the demon lord came so close that his haori swept alongside her arms. She held her breath as he pressed himself up against her. Her heart began to hammer inside her chest as he leaned down so their faces were mere inches apart. He turned his head so that his cheek brushed past hers, his lips hovering beside her ear. While all this was happening, she swallowed hard and gripped the bag on her wrist.

"I believe," he started, making thousands of shivers rush down her neck, "that you have something of mine. I would be most delighted if you gave it to me, lovely priestess." Trembling violently, she shook her head slightly.

"No," she squeaked. She desperately wished she could move her legs so she could get away. Her mind would be able to function without him so…near! She felt her face begin to flush brightly. Naraku chuckled lightly, his hot breath fanning over her neck.

"But I think you do. You have the last jewel shard. I knew that you would obey me." Her anxiety began to rise when his hands suddenly trailed up to her shoulders, and then dragged down her arms to her wrists. She jerked the hand with the shard away behind her back. Her other hand flew out of his grasp and swung back to slap him sharply in the face.

In an instant, her body was released from his mental grip and she stumbled to the ground. Without even looking back, she got to her feet and began to run in the direction of the Bone Eater's Well. There, she would be safe and he could never get the last fragment. Kagome sprinted with all her might to the edge of the clearing in order to get away from him. She didn't care if he became angry for her hitting him; he knew what sort of effect he had on her.

But Naraku was more than angry. Infuriated, livid, enraged might fit his current emotion better. With a snarl, he channeled the power of the Shikon into his body, gathering it into his right hand. A bright burst of energy flew out of his palm into the sky. It stopped just above the treetops, creating bolts of electricity. Right then, a thick barrier of pinkish energy was surrounding the clearing in a dome of light. Kagome was thrown back from the edge as she tried to push herself through. But because she only had one shard against his, it had no effect. She sat up and faced Naraku, who was quickly advancing on her. Her eyes widened when she realized what he was going to do…

With lightning speed, he knelt down over her and grabbed her forearms, forcing them on the ground. Her hand still held the tiny jewel shard with all her might. She suddenly felt déjà vu all over again. It was that nightmare she had! She didn't want this to happen again. This wasn't a dream she could wake up from. She struggled to free herself, but Naraku slammed her arms into the ground even further, making her whimper in pain.

"It seems that I haven't made myself clear to you. I want that jewel shard this instant!" His voice had gone from calm and quiet, to harsh and demanding. Kagome closed her eyes and inhaled as much air as she could.

"Inuyashaaaa!!!" she yelled with all her strength. The demon lord smiled coldly.

"Scream all you want, he won't come for you." The young miko stared at him defiantly, then took up another breath to scream.

"Inuyasha!! Inuya--" Her screams were cut off by his hand covering her mouth, and the other snatching the leather bag from her wrist. She threw her head from side to side to throw him off, but she was too weak.

"Your time is coming to an end, so give up. It is futile to resist me." Kagome made a grab for the shard, when she heard a voice in the distance.

"Kagome!!" it called. She was too familiar with that voice to know that he was coming. Inuyasha had heard her call, and he was going to save her. Sure enough, she saw a flash of red whiz by the trees beyond the clearing. In a matter of seconds, the silver-haired hanyou had come into view. Naraku tossed his head back, glaring at the unwanted half demon behind him. This was not what he had expected. Kagome bit his hand as hard as she could and he groaned in pain, freeing her in order to yell for help again.

"Inuyasha, a little help!" she cried out desperately, thrashing underneath the demon lord above her. Inuyasha's amber eyes widened in surprise when he saw the bag with the last shard in Naraku's hold.

"Damnit!" He gripped the Tessaiga and drew it from its sheath. "Get away from her now, you bastard!" With a loud cry, he dashed right towards them, with every intention to slice Naraku to a bloody pulp. However, the barrier held strong and forced him back. Kagome gasped as he got up and ran at it again, slashing with all his might. But there was no change.

"Kagome!" he yelled, abandoning the sword altogether and slamming himself against the pink dome. Each time, he was jolted with strong volts of electricity and thrown back to the ground. Naraku sneered at his attempts to save the priestess, then turned back to Kagome. She growled in frustration, trying to throw him off again. He held her tight and tucked away the jewel shard in his gi. She screamed in rage, throwing punches at him with her small fists. She could still see Inuyasha beyond the barrier, trying to literally claw his way through. But he was only hurting himself even more.

"His pain must be tremendous," Naraku said coldly. He caught her hands again, holding them above her head as she lay on the cold ground. He pressed himself fully against her and their eyes were inches apart. Her face grew hot and she became flustered with what he said next.

"Let's give him something to really scream about, shall we? But don't be shy, my dear. It will be much more believable if you participate."

"Kagome, no!!" were the last words from Inuyasha before the world became silent. The blood pounding in her ears was flowing like an open dam. Naraku closed the distance between them, making her nightmare real. Their lips touched completely and all of her senses were heightened beyond all sensation. Her dream was cold and illusory, but now everything was more real than she could imagine. Everything around her faded away in a black haze, until only she and the demon lord existed. She didn't know how to describe the things he was doing to her. To make her even more unsure, he began to speak to her inside her mind, all the while worshiping her lips with his.

'You taste delicious. You're also soft…like young rose petals. And your scent, it's intoxicating. I can't seem to get enough of it.' She began to relax unconsciously, the tension in her body ebbing away. His words were hypnotic, making her drowsy and languid. No one…no one had ever told her that. Why did she believe him? As she let herself become limp, he released her hands and made a burning trail of heat down to her breasts. Nothing prepared her for this and a deep crimson blush stained her cheeks. His mouth left hers and he nipped at her neck, gently pulling with his teeth, then soothing the mark with his tongue.

'He's never touched you this way, I can tell. He could never treat you the way I would…the way that you deserve. I can give you all that you would ever need.' Again, his silky voice brought her deeper into rapture, slipping further into the abyss. Numbly, she brought her arms down, tentatively wrapping them around his neck, his long ebony locks slipping through her fingers like dark satin. She felt him smile against her neck as he continued down to her clavicle, his hands traveling down to the bottom of her shirt. His fingertips slipped underneath the thin material and their eyes met. The tension broke when she inclined her head once, allowing him to continue.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha's voice had gone hoarse from calling out to her, trying to bring Kagome back to him. But Naraku's grasp on her mind was too powerful…she was already lost. All he could do was whisper her name in his mind, wanting to reach her so badly. He had failed to protect her. He had done something wrong somewhere, but he couldn't begin to find out what it was. Before he knew it, he was watching her accept Naraku, hugging him close. Even though he saw the demon's evil smile against her creamy skin, Inuyasha had no energy left for anger. His mind was full of mixed emotions and, not knowing what to feel, all he could do was stare at them lying in the grass. He had loved her. He wanted to be the one to hold her that way, to express in the how he felt about her. But she was gone.

In utter defeat, Inuyasha slowly picked up his sword and put it back inside the sheath. He forced himself to look away from Kagome, trying his hardest to squelch the pain in his heart. Turning around, he walked into the forest and back to the village. He would never forgive her. He would never love again.

Kagome suddenly sat up on her elbows, looking around. She felt…confused.

"What is it?" Naraku asked aloud, bringing himself back up to her face. She didn't answer right away, but shook her head.

"Nothing…I thought I heard a voice." He smiled at her soft answer, kissing her on the lips.

"And what did it say?" She looked to the side, not sure how to answer.

"It sounded…like it was in pain." Naraku's smile formed into a grim line. She was coming out of the trance. Somehow, Inuyasha's voice had still reached her through his mental barrier. She was still connected to him in some way. He had managed to erase most of her memories of that half-breed, she just hadn't let go yet. She hadn't completely accepted him yet, not while he was still alive.

"I need to go…" Kagome said quietly, brushing blades of grass out of her hair.

"Where will you go?"

"Home," was all she said. Naraku stood up, then pulled her to her feet, holding her close to him.

"Your home is with me," was his reply. Drawing in a breath of fresh air, she closed her eyes and leaned into his embrace. That voice must've been her imagination…

"Then take me home." Naraku hugged her tightly, and kissed her forehead.

"As you wish."

TBC...someday

A/N: You know what…as I'm sitting here at my computer, listening to One Winged Angel, and eating my Chef Boyardee Ravioli, while enduring my little sisters constant channel flipping on the TV…I can't really think of anything useful to say. But I'll try.

Thanks for the reviews (Especially you, Kilala81)

I'm very sorry for making everyone wait on this chapter.

I've had a very bad case of writers block.

I kind of knew how this chapter would turn out, but as for the next one…I have no clue.

Suggestions and corrections are encouraging and helpful. Flames are not.

Even in the making of the 6th chapter, I still don't know who Kagome will end up with.

I was actually considering making Inuyasha commit suicide.

But now that I'm finished, maybe I'll make Kagome kill herself…but that was just a passing thought, so don't freak out.

I was gonna finish the little…encounter with Naraku, but I'll save that for the next one.

I'm gonna stop at chapter 7.

But then again, I told myself when I started this thing that it wouldn't be more than 4 chapters long.

So I guess that makes me a liar.

Please read my other stories and review them…I can't tell you how excited I get when I receive email.

I check everyday…EVERYDAY!!

And just to make it a round 15…I'll see you next chapter! See ya!


	6. Denial

OMFG! LIMEY YUMINESS UP AHEAD...way up ahead...

Oh come on, you saw it coming. Don't say I didn't warn you. And if you haven't gotten the sexual innuendo between Naraku and Kagome, you are a Class A Baka! Oh...and one more thing... (cowers in a small dark corner from angry fans) PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! IT'S MY FIRST LEMON-LIME-SPRITE EVER! coughs Alright...now enjoy the chapter. (leaves quietly)

Chapter 6

Denial

An anguished howl broke from Inuyasha's lips, the stabbing pain of rejection rolling over him like a crashing wave. He let himself cry with all his might, the façade of security cracking away. His face came in contact with the cold, dry ground, the hilt of his sword jabbing into his ribs as he fell to the earth. This aching…it would never disappear, not as long as Kagome was under that evil youkai's spell. He had failed to protect her, and she had fallen right into Naraku's trap without even knowing. His heart twinged with emotion, feeling extreme despair and hatred at the same time. The image of Naraku staring up at him while he smiled against her neck, as if declaring his victory, would be burned in his mind forever. And there wasn't a single thing he could do about it.

With a groan, Inuyasha rolled over and relieved the pain digging into his side from the Tessaiga. He removed the sheath from his belt and held it up with one hand.

"What good was Tessaiga? What did it do to save Kagome?" Every word he spoke, his anger spiked and burned inside him. "What good am I!" He clenched the sword in his bloody hand and glared at it, before finally hurling into the sky, the long sheath arcing upwards so far he couldn't begin to see it fall. It had never done him any good. Not then, not when it mattered most. Inuyasha stood up, overcome with defeat. Kagome was probably never going to come back. From now on, she would be dead to him.

His soft white ears twitched at the sound of footsteps coming up behind him. He turned slowly, numbly looking behind him to see four figures sprinting up the pathway to meet him. Miroku and Sango were side by side, with Shippo and Kirara bounding a few feet behind. Inuyasha exhaled a long and silent breath…he would have to tell them. They stopped short of him, not noticing his disheveled appearance, his bloody claws, or the absence of his Tessaiga.

"Inuyasha…we were looking…all over for you…" Sango panted, trying to catch her breath. He didn't answer. He felt that if he opened his mouth, he would break down. He didn't want to explain everything to them.

"Yes, where did you go earlier? We came back and you weren't in the village," Miroku added. The hanyou made a low growl, crossing his arms. There was a fire building inside of him and he would surely set himself ablaze if he didn't let them know what happened. The pain was simply unbearable. When he looked back up at them, they were all staring at him with confusion.

"Hey…you're sword is gone," Miroku pointed out, coming closer to him. Inuyasha tensed up and took a step back. Couldn't they see what else was missing? Something of greater value?

"Oh, Inuyasha, your hands! What were you doing that made you bleed like that?" Sango added. He turned away, his eyes downcast. Were they blind? Did they not see what was most important here? Didn't they care about her? His hands curled into hard fists and he grit his teeth. It was when Shippo bounded up to him, peering up with his large, innocent eyes, that he wanted to scream in rage. It was then that he finally asked the question that he didn't want to answer.

"Where…where's Kagome?" It was such a simple question, and yet he couldn't speak. All he had to say was that she was gone…no explanation was needed. But he didn't want to believe it for one second. That would mean admitting that he was weak and that protecting Kagome was something that he had failed to do. His eyes were hidden behind his bangs, shadowing his true feelings. He would use the same lie that Kagome had told him earlier, to keep him from worrying. It was all he could do for now.

"She went home," he bit out hoarsely, short and clipped. Sango sighed, placing her hand on her hip.

"Why does she leave so often? What could she be doing back in the future?" she asked impatiently. Miroku nodded and scratched his head in thought.

"Perhaps she had one of those 'quizzes' to complete. But a girl like her shouldn't work so hard. If there were only some way to get her back." Some way to get her back…Inuyasha snapped his head up, his eyes burning with an amber fire. That was it! He couldn't take it anymore!

"No! Just let that stupid bitch do whatever the hell she wants! She's not coming back and I'm not fighting for her anymore!" he roared, making wild gestures with his hands. Shippo whimpered loudly and hid behind Sango with Kirara. Miroku stood in front of the other three and locked his gaze with the furious hanyou.

"What's gotten into you Inuyasha? Why take out your anger on us?" The silver-haired teen just growled, flexing his hands in and out with frustration. He wanted to rip them all apart and shred them into ribbons. They just didn't understand! Kagome was gone forever!

"Why should I keep protecting her?" he screamed, ignoring Miroku's question. "She's never done anything but get in the way and we're better off without her!" Sango made a move to step closer, to try and comfort him, but Miroku gently held her back. He never broke eye contact with the enraged half-demon and he stood his ground, waiting for Inuyasha to calm down.

"Alright, Inuyasha. Maybe you're right." Sango went pale and tugged on the monk's robe.

"Houshi-sama, what are you saying?" she whispered from behind him.

"Shh…just wait," he whispered back over his shoulder. When he looked back in front of him, he saw that Inuyasha had gone docile and stood quietly.

"Maybe it's for the best that she's gone back to her time," he said calmly. Shippo and Kirara peeked out from behind the demon slayer's legs, watching intently. Miroku dared to walk closer to him.

"Kagome was always useless to us. She wasn't even from this world, and she didn't belong here. She was always ruining everything. And besides…" Miroku paused for a moment, then delivered the final blow. "…She was the one who shattered the jewel." Sango gasped and braced herself for Inuyasha's rage, while Shippo and Kirara clung to her legs in fear.

A minute passed, then two, as the monk's words echoed blankly inside Inuyasha's mind. '_Kagome was useless…always ruining…didn't belong here…maybe…'_

_'it was for the best…'_

"Shut up!" Inuyasha instantly lashed out and slashed at Miroku, his thoughts confusing him terribly. Miroku dodged his sudden attack while the others ducked and ran behind a large tree, away from the path.

"It's the truth, Inuyasha, face it!" But Inuyasha didn't want to hear it. He kept seeing that image of her in Naraku's arms, so willingly. He felt so betrayed. He grabbed the monk by the front of his robes and yanked him up from the ground, glaring at him.

"I don't believe you! She was the one that freed me from Kikyou's spell. That's why she came here!" Miroku looked down, managing a small grin.

"Anyone could've done that. She wasn't special in any way, only that she got to you first. Why can't you realize that she's gone and that she's never coming back?" Sango held Shippo and Kirara tight as Inuyasha threw Miroku down hard. Miroku winced in pain, looking up at the hanyou. He caught a small glimpse of his face, tears welling up in his eyes and spilling down his cheeks. Inuyasha let out an angered sob before turning and sprinting down the pathway, disappearing into the forest.

Miroku sat there completely frozen until he vanished, then he exhaled deeply and fell backwards, exhausted.

"Houshi-sama!" Sango ran over and dropped to his side, worry and concern on her face, with a mix of confusion. Shippo leaped out of her arms and jumped on Miroku's stomach.

"Why did you say all of those things about Kagome? Do you really think that she's—"

"No," he cut Shippo off. Miroku sat up, making the fox demon tumble down into his lap.

"But I don't understand. What were you doing to Inuyasha?" Sango asked, looking puzzled. Miroku smiled, a gleam in his eye.

"Well, if you must know," he began, "I sensed that Inuyasha was upset whenever we talked about Kagome 'leaving' or 'being gone'. It seems that he thinks that she is gone forever. That she's gone back to her time."

"But…how do you know that she's not?"

"Now that, my lovely Sango, is simple."

"How…?"

"Her bag is still here." The demon slayer stared at the monk, and then shook her head.

"She probably just forgot it. That means that she'll come back through the well soon," she explained logically.

"Sango, Kagome never forgets her bag. Ever. This leads me to believe that she is still here in our time."

"Then where could she be? If Inuyasha can't find her by her scent…" Miroku nodded in understanding, placing a hand on his chin in thought.

"I think…that he already knows where she is."

"Then why can't he—Ugh! He is so complicated!" As if on cue, Shippo began to cry.

"What if Inuyasha means that Kagome is gone! Really gone! What if she's- she's…dead!" He wailed and buried his face in Miroku's robes, crying loudly.

"No, no Shippo," Sango said comfortingly, rubbing his head softly. "She's not…"

"Sango...I know it's difficult," Miroku said.

"No," she protested, taking Shippo into her arms. "I don't want to hear it."

"But we must consider all possibilities—"

"Miroku, don't say that!" she shouted, standing up suddenly.

"Listen to me. We can't rule it out. I'm not saying that she is, but that she _could_ be."

"Well she's not! Kagome's not dead! _I don't believe you!_" The demon-slayer suddenly gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with realization.

"Is that what--?"

"Yes Sango, Inuyasha said the same thing not moments ago. He also got extremely upset when he was presented with the idea of Kagome leaving us, whether in time or in death."

"But...I don't understand. How did you make me change my mind like that?" Miroku smiled a bit and got to his feet, brushing dust off his robes.

"It's a little something I've been working on for a while now. I call it reversed reasoning. For instance, if a person is in denial over a certain situation, all you have to do is agree with them until they realize the real truth, which is, in fact, the opposite of what they think. If done strongly enough, it should bring them out of their denial period and back to reality." Sango stared at him, trying to let his words soak in. After a moment, she spoke.

"So...you said all those things about Kagome never coming back to make him think that she is coming back?"

"More or less, I suppose," he replied. Shippo looked at him with watery eyes and sniffled.

"So she's not dead?" he asked weakly.

"No, she's not," Sango answered, "She's okay, I know it."

"Could she be lost? We should search for her if she is."

"I don't know where she is, but she'll be back. She always returns to us." The fox-pup smiled, feeling reassured.

"Well, we'll just have to go look for her, that's all," he suggested, bouncing up on her shoulder.

"Yes," said Miroku, "and as for Inuyasha..."

"Yeah?"

"He'll have to find the truth for himself." Sango nodded, gathered Kirara in her arms and they continued down the path to the village.

"Let me out!" Kagome shrieked, ramming her shoulder against the barrier-laden door. She bounced back and winced, her arm throbbing with pain. The door didn't budge and her shoulder was extremely sore. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying earlier, demanding her freedom. Naraku had locked her in and placed a thick barrier around the room by using the Shikon so she wouldn't escape. However, she had no plans to escape. With his arms holding her close and his honeysweet voice in her ear, she was perfectly content with him when the arrived at the castle.

But the moment that they were separated, the languid spell on her mind melted away and the castle became her prison. Kagome was furious with him for tricking her, and angry with herself for falling for it. Anger had turned to sadness and regret and she cried until her eyes stung. Not only did she prove her weakness to his power, but she gave him the last jewel shard that she possessed. They would never be able to defeat him.

"You _asshole!_ You tricked me, you bastard! I hope you burn in Hell and rot, you son of a bitch!" She didn't get an answer except for the echo of her own voice. She backed up against the wall and sat down, hugging her knees. There wasn't any way to get out and she could only wait until Naraku arrived. Until then, she would plan her escape.

Twenty minutes later, Kagome was pacing the room, panic starting to set it. How long would Naraku keep her trapped like this? She had to be let out sometime. She had searched the room, trying to sense a hole in the barrier, but that failed right away. And now she was pacing so anxiously, she had a headache.

A sudden creak behind her made Kagome jump and she spun around, her brown eyes flicking back and forth. Looking around the bare room, Kagome saw nothing but darkness. She relaxed a little when she also heard nothing, the silence returning to ring in her ears.

"I swear, if he's trying to scare me, I'll kick him so hard he won't be able to walk for weeks," she muttered to herself. A cold hand settled upon her shoulder and she tensed up so much that her legs cramped. Before she could scream, another hand came around and covered her mouth.

"Be quiet, you stupid girl," a woman's voice hissed behind her. Kagome was startled and she shook herself free and turned around. It wasn't Naraku, someone smaller.

"Kagura?" The pale woman nodded, her cherry red eyes staring her down. Kagome relaxed and sighed.

"Why are you here?"

"I think that would have been obvious. To keep you quiet and to stop acting so foolishly," Kagura replied. The young miko crossed her arms, shifting her weight.

"I'm not being foolish," she protested.

"Then stop shrieking about how much you hate him and think of something." She paused, then stepped closer until they were inches apart. "Find a way to escape." Kagome stared at her, perplexed. Was this woman trying to help her?

"I can't escape. I've already looked for a breach in this barrier-"

"I don't mean now, you stupid girl. _Think!_ Naraku's going to come for you soon and you can use that as your advantage to get away."

"I don't understand..." Kagome trailed off. Kagura groaned in frustration. This girl was so naive, no wonder she didn't understand Naraku's intentions. Kagura grabbed her shoulders, looking straight into Kagome's eyes.

"Don't you get it? Naraku has an infatuation with you! He'll try to win your affections, whether by your will or by force. And believe me, he'll make you comply to him without even lifting a finger." She smiled coldly. "Well...maybe one." Kagura continued to receive blank stares from the innocent miko and she shoved Kagome away. She landed against the wall, making the barrier ripple from the force. When she looked up, Kagura had her back turned toward her.

"If you don't understand now, you'll understand when he's got you pinned to the ground," she said coolly.

"What are you saying? You mean he wants to do that...to me!" Kagura smirked and turned around, her face half hidden behind her white fan.

"Well of course," she replied, nonchalant. "He may be half-demon, but he is also half man. Now that his demonic side is satisfied with the jewel, he'll have to please the human side. And you, my dear, are the water for his thirst." Kagome paled and felt ill. She didn't know that he was a hanyou

_like In..ya...a_

and that he thought of her that way. And what did Kagura mean by using it to her advantage? She didn't know and wanted to ask for her help. But it seems like she was already giving her clues.

To Kagome's sudden shock, the woman suddenly vanished.

"_He's coming. Be prepared,_" she spoke through her mind. Feeling anxious and sick, Kagome searched frantically around the room for a possible weapon she could use. Her heart jumped in her throat as she spotted a small flowered vase in the nearest corner of the door. She lunged for it and picked it up, holding it like a lifeline. Then, sneaking by the edge of the door, she held the pot overhead, preparing to throw it as soon as he walked in.

She didn't have to wait very long before the door slid open and a large, slender hand placed itself on the side. On pure instinct, she jumped in front of the doorway and hurled the vase at him. Her eyes closed tight, she waited for it to crash, waited for him to be knocked unconscious and to fall to the floor.

But the only sound that reached her ears was the sound of her own heavy breathing. She squinted her eyes open, looking up for the damage she had done. The blood drained from her face when there wasn't anyone in the doorway, standing or otherwise. The vase she had thrown was sitting silently in the hallway, not a single crack on it. She stared at it in uncertainty while her legs trembled in fear.

_'He's here; he's got to be. I saw him; I saw his hand on the door. Kagura told me he was coming. And not only that...she knew he would come.'_

_'Then...where is he?'_

Kagome tried to gather her wits, to reform another plan. But there was little she could think of to do. Trying to fight her way out was out of the question, as his physical strength was overpowering by tenfold at the least. As far as her miko powers went, it would be nothing against the holy power of the Shikon. Or unholy, as it were. For the moment, the only thing she could do was wait for his arrival. An arrival that she was positive she saw just now.

_'Get it together, Kagome,'_ she muttered under her breath. She tried to inject some courage into her words. She figured that it was best to wait somewhere that Naraku couldn't sneak up on her, no surprises. Her nerves were already on the edge.

Tearing her gaze away from the unbroken vase, she slowly turned and walked to the furthest part of the room that was from the door, which was the far left corner. She ran to it and pressed herself between the two walls. The blackness covered her arms and legs, shrouding everything but part of her face.

_'I know he's here, I saw him. I saw him!'_ she chanted in her mind. Kagome's anxiety level had broken beyond normal. She squeezed her legs tight up to her chest, wrapping her arms tight around her calves. Her eyes skittered back and forth from the open door and to her arms, trying desperately to calm down. If little things like this kept making her worry, how would she react if something truly frightening happened?

A choked gasp escaped from her mouth when she flicked her gaze back to her arms. She had been completely still just now and yet...

The shadows had moved! Black, ghostly tentacles were slithering all over her body, wriggling like thick snakes on her skin and clothes. Kagome cried out in terror, trying to pull away from the moving darkness, but her legs had turned numb and shaking. Her hands shot out to the floor and she dragged herself forward, tumbling over to her side. It was a trick, it had to be! She craned her neck around to the corner and her heart almost burst with shock.

Eyes like droplets of blood and a smile as evil as a demon...Naraku sat alongside the wall. He was staring at her, watching her with utter delight. The dark slithering tentacles were shimmering all around him like rippling water before transforming into his wavy black hair. She tried to move, attempting to crawl away, but he wouldn't let her. Their gazes were locked and she was forced to look at him.

"I'm glad you could join me, lovely priestess." His words broke her trance and she found the strength to back away. Don't let him near you!

"S-stay away from me!" she stammered, trying to stand up. Her legs were still made of liquid and she was forced to stay down. The demon lord pouted in a petulant manner.

"Oh my. Please don't try to escape, you won't be able to no matter what you do," he said silkily.

"Let me out of here or I'll—"

"You'll what?" Kagome blanched and a chill ran down her neck and spine. He was right; she couldn't do a single thing. She stayed quiet, trying her best to keep her strength by glaring at him.

"Now now, don't be angry," he chided playfully. "I'm not going to hurt you." Naraku waited for her to answer, showing that he was a man of his word.

"Then why keep me here?" she whispered slowly. For a split-second, he glanced at her mouth.

"No particular reason, I'm afraid. However, I'm quite intrigued by you Kagome. You are very unique from any other woman I've had the pleasure of meeting."

"You have the jewel, now let me out. I want to go back."

"Back? To where?"

"To...to home," she faltered, "I want to go home." He chuckled, leaning forward a bit.

"Have you forgotten? Your home is here..." He began to crawl toward her, a strange expression on his face. "With me." Closer and closer he came. Before she could begin to stand herself, he slid his fingertips across the back of her hand, then firmly grasped her wrist.

"It's been so long..." he whispered, leaning over her. She struggled to free her hand from his grip, but her breath caught in her throat when his other hand rose up to her face. He was touching her. Ever so light, his fingers brushed over her cheek, soft as a butterfly's wings. He discreetly released her wrist and slipped his hand around her waist, pulling her close. Kagome began to tremble, feeling flushed beyond imagination. She wanted to cry from feeling this way, the way he was pushing all of these foreign emotions on her. She felt faint when his forehead touched hers, making her face burn with embarrassment.

"Kiss me," he whispered, so inaudible that she wasn't sure she heard him.

"What?"

"I won't say it again." Kagome was left with an irrefutable problem, one that had no time to think over. The only thought that passed in her mind was of little logic and didn't make much sense. Just do it and he won't hurt you...

She tentatively tipped her head up and leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Her lips met his in a chaste kiss, her eyes fluttering closed. But she refused to kiss him for more than three seconds, and she broke their contact almost immediately. When she opened her eyes, an unexplainable sensation was tingling down her back.

"Again," he said softly, holding her tight against him. But she had no intention of kissing him again. No matter how... passionate he looked right now. No matter how he looked at her, as a starving man over a feast. And the way his hands were burning upon her clothes and skin, making her feel hot and bothered. She shook her head, wanting terribly to be away from him. The hand on her face took her chin to stop her from moving.

"Again," he repeated forcefully. She swallowed hard, wishing she were anywhere but here. With a shuddering breath, she obeyed, kissing him once more with closed lips. Kagome was stiff as a board and Naraku was quick to change that. Applying pressure to her mouth, he squeezed her jaw, opening her mouth to allow him access. She protested with a breathy moan and tried once again to push herself away, but he wouldn't let her budge.

A strong wave of deja vu drowned her senses when his tongue dipped inside her, stroking the roof of her soft mouth. To her disgust, she found that her muscles were too sore to keep pushing against him, so she had no other choice but to fall into his embrace, her hands clinging to his robes. She found herself responding to the kiss, touching him back with tentative strokes of her own. Naraku growled in the back of his throat. She was so unwilling to even be near him, yet with a bit of clever coaxing, she came to him like a moth to a flame.

Kagome's fear of the demon lord was erased, replaced with the pull of curiosity. What was this feeling, this blazing fire in her chest? The wooden floor beneath her suddenly felt hard and uncomfortable. She raised herself onto her knees, breaking the kiss long enough to climb into his lap, letting her legs fall open to straddle his thigh. As soon as she settled, Naraku caught her bottom lip with his teeth, biting it gently. His large, slender hands balanced her upon him before reaching underneath her shirt. Kagome hissed as his scalding hot fingers as they burned patterns of fire up her ribs, reaching a white-hot peak as he cupped the underside of her breasts. He could feel her breath becoming short and shallow, his excitement rising.

But in that moment, his arms were being pulled down, away from her soft rosy skin. Kagome had pushed her hands on his forearms, forcing him away from his desire.

"No more," she pleaded breathlessly, shivering from the aftermath. Her senses had somewhat reformed and she hoped, by begging for him to stop, that he would let her go, perhaps out of some twisted sort of sympathy. However, Naraku would have none of it. He didn't come all this way to lose what he wanted, and what he wanted was Kagome.

"You _will _give me what I want," he growled warningly. The young miko trembled, not being able to look him in the eyes. In an instant, his patience snapped and he flipped her onto her back, holding her by the wrists. Her cries were faint in his ears as he secured her legs by using the miasma in the room to paralyze her muscles to prevent her from kicking him. He felt her pulse racing through her arms, fear prominent in her eyes. He felt her panic, trying to move her legs, but giving up immediately as she realized that she no longer had control over her lower body. She stilled when their gaze met again.

"Nobody defies me, Kagome," he threatened. His eyes raked over her figure, taking in her round breasts and the curve of her hips through her scant clothing.

"Remove your shirt," he ordered. Kagome stared in shock, her lips parted. The dark hanyou gazed down at her flushed face and swollen lips, feeling very aroused. He released her arms.

"Do it now, or I'll rip it off for you." The small girl squeaked and reached for the bottom of her shirt right away, pulling it quickly over her head. Naraku was disappointed to find that she was wearing a strange piece of clothing under her shirt.

"And this. Take it off," he commanded, fingering the strap of her bra. The heat of embarrassment returned to her face as she unsnapped the front and threw it aside. At her exposure, Kagome crossed her arms to cover herself, wanting so bad to hide from the shame. But he wouldn't allow her that satisfaction. Naraku shoved her arms aside and drank in the image of her bountiful chest. Kagome shut her eyes tight the moment she saw him reach for her.

What she felt next was very different from what she had expected. Holding her breath, she braced herself for his lecherous touch. But while anticipating pain, she received pleasure. A strange tingling spread through her nerves, ascending to an electric spark. As his thumb and forefinger pinched her coral nipples, her hands jerked up and grabbed his wrists, her heart racing faster as fire sparked through her heated chest. Kagome's hands shoved him away, but found that the feeling she got from pushing downward on her breasts was simply amazing. Her hands let up and settled on his forearms, resisting no longer. She saw him smile above her as she peeked from the corner of her eye, and then watched numbly as his mouth descended, taking her into his warmth. A tiny moan bubbled up past her lips as he licked and nipped at her pale flesh. He teased her and tormented her, until her skin was red and swollen, sensitive to the slightest touch. The fire from her chest now flowed to her stomach, and his right hand soon followed after.

"Tell me what you're feeling, Kagome," he whispered against her, his long lashes fluttering along the valley of her breasts. Kagome swallowed hard, feeling herself tremble. His fingers made her shiver as they danced slow and sensual on her stomach. Everywhere he touched, she felt so...

"Hot," she replied quietly. "I'm so hot...all over." The demon lord smiled erotically, continuing to stroke her belly. As Kagome looked at him, a blush crept up over her face. Beads of sweat were gathering on his chest through his open gi. As if reading her thoughts, his hands left her body and he tugged the shirt open and took it off, leaving her to gape at his muscular body. His ebony hair clung heavily to his back and face, creating a truly erotic sight. She suddenly had an impulse to touch him, to feel his skin against hers.

Without thinking, without caring, she cupped her hands around his face and brought him down to kiss her. Their bodies crushed together, her nipples pressing against his hard chest and she moaned in his mouth, not caring that he was the enemy. All she knew was that she was experiencing things she never knew possible. She wanted more.

She got her wish when Naraku's long, slender fingers began sneaking under her skirt, bunching up the pleated material around her waist. An insatiable sensation jolted through her veins as he kissed and bit her neck, drawing the soft skin between his teeth, then licking it soothingly. His touch glided up her thighs, making contact with the thin cotton of her panties. She was distracted by the devilish ministrations of his mouth on her jaw line, but her legs clenched tight against him. It wasn't until she felt her legs being forced open and his hands pulling at the only barrier between him and her innocent skin, that she came back to reality. A freezing liquid burst through her entire body and she screamed in the night.

"No! Stop! Stop it!" Kagome panicked terribly and flung her hands down to his arms, pushing him away with all her might. Her mind whirled in a flurry at what was happening, and what all had happened. It wasn't right, she didn't feel right. He wasn't the right person; it was someone else she was supposed to be with. Her head began to ache and throb as unknown images flashed in front of her eyes. A girl with kind eyes smiled; a tiny fox demon hopped up and down; a man wearing dark blue robes held a monk's staff... A boy in red grinned, his silver hair flowing behind him.

_"Kagome...whatever happens...you can talk to me." _Her eyes snapped open and a new strength filled her being. She scrambled away from him, barely noticing the furious expression on Naraku's face. That damn girl had broken his spell! At this point it would be near impossible to try to reassemble his carefully laid plans. But whatever power she had uncovered, it would be nothing compared to the Shikon jewel. As she was backing away to the door, Naraku called upon the Shikon's power to reclaim her mind. She would not escape him!

However, to his utter horror, he felt nothing in his power when he tried to access the pink orb's magical strength, only emptiness. Naraku's anger flared as a blinding pink light filled the room. Through the pristine radiance, he saw Kagome's figure standing in front of him, her arms outstretched as the Shikon no Tama floated between her fingertips. She had stolen it! And what was more surprising, she was controlling its power. Kagome herself began to glow, flickering in and out of the pinkish light. The light subsided, revealing the new owner of the jewel. Kagome's body had absorbed the majority of the Shikon's power, and she was newly dressed in a pure white gi and red hakama, an imitation of the priestess Kikyou. Her eyes shimmered a clear blue, staring straight into Naraku's crimson orbs. He grit his teeth in frustration, backing away.

"How dare you..." he growled.

"No!" she lashed out, her voice echoing through the room. "How dare _you_! Using me as a tool just to steal the Shikon jewel! Using me for your twisted pleasure! Using me to drive away Inuyasha!" In an instant, Naraku was thrown back to the wall as Kagome channeled her new power through her hands, breaking his ribs on impact. With a sickening thud, he slumped to the floor, remaining motionless. She continued to stay ablaze, her power being fueled by her rage. Never again would he touch her. With a flourish, she turned and left the room, leaving the unconscious demon lord alone once more.

An hour after Kagome left, Kagura peeked into the room where Naraku lay. She had expected for her master to have complete control over that girl. Never had she thought something like this would happen. She shook her dark head in disbelief, walking up to the defeated hanyou.

"You really are half human," she muttered, nudging him with her fan. She gave him a sharp smack on both cheeks, causing him to jump awake. He groaned painfully as he clutched his aching head with one hand and his broken ribs with the other. She hid a smile behind her fan as she watched him attempt to sit up, but found that it was too painful. He deserved it, the sick bastard. She almost regretted that his body had a natural regeneration tactic, but he would be too weak to use it for at least a day or so.

"Where is she?" he snarled. Kagura grinned coldly, snapping her fan back and forth.

"She escaped and took the jewel. Or have you forgotten already, my lord?" He stayed silent for a long moment, staring at the ceiling.

"Get out. Don't come back until you've seen her or her friends," he ordered. Kagura bowed gracefully.

"Of course, my lord. I will not fail you," she replied, leaving obediently. The moment she left the room, she wiped the fake smile off of her face, replaced with her true emotions. Someday, she'll escape his control also.

Naraku lay still as his body began the slow process of healing itself. Next time, he would not fail. He will have Kagome and that jewel. Though his need for the girl was more prominent at the time. When he would finally acquire her, he would not only control her. He would break her.

TBC (hopefully)

A/N/killself asdfagertweopridhlkhns.yje;#$#&$&!

...Wow that was really quite an adventure. I've gone through so many new computer parts, its amazing. That's part of my excuse of not finishing this STUPID chapter! Another excuse is having writer's block and being busy with my senior year and all. It was so frustrating thinking of all the crap I could write, but ultimately coming up with nothing at all. Very frustrating. But here it is, and I'm not thinking of anymore to write until I am snug in my new house and new college. Or unless I suddenly have a revelation and start writing Steven King crazy... then we'll see.

Now...you'll never guess who you'll see in the next chapter. I'll give you a hint: It's a guy and he'll be giving Inuyasha a very "brotherly" pep talk. Oh all right, you guessed it! It's our favorite inu-youkai Sesshoumaru-sama! huggles Yeah, that'll be interesting. But you won't see it for another 4 months...MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

So, I'll see you guys later. Please review and criticize and suggest and (insert synonyms here).

Love, Mooniestar69


	7. Defeated

Chapter 7

Defeated

Cool, amber eyes surveyed the Eastern Lands. It was close. The power of the Tessaiga had called out to him, the rightful owner of the sword that could slay one hundred demons in one swoop. He, Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the Western Lands, had traveled to the forest of Inuyasha to claim what was rightfully his. The more he thought about it, the quicker he walked. The fang of his father would be his at last!

A light, hesitant tug on his clothing brought his gaze down. He would not have felt it if it were not for the bright voice that followed.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, why are we going to this forest?" Rin asked innocently. She smiled a pure smile of curiosity, the tiny gap in her teeth making her look even sweeter than usual. The taiyoukai considered her for a moment, not breaking his stride. He didn't answer right away, and Rin asked more questions.

"Are you mad at your brother again? Did he make you angry? Did he say something to you?"

"Quiet Rin," he ordered, not looking down at her. The Tessaiga's power was not more than a hundred yards away and he was closing in. Rin opened her mouth to ask more questions, but the breath rushed out of her when he snatched her up in his arm and gave a mighty leap. She cried out as the ground left her feet and she was suddenly soaring high above the trees. Rin clung tightly to his arm as they started to descend, and a moment later landed in a clearing next to a cliff. Sesshoumaru set her down, quite gently, before beginning his search for the precious sword. The power pulsating from the blade was so strong it made his sensitive ears ring. He followed it carefully to the edge of the precipice, looking down into the gorge.

There! Wedged between a mossy boulder and a wild rose bush came the hilt of the Tessaiga. He thought about climbing down and grabbing it, but he needed to keep Rin safe. So with a swift motion of his hand, he issued the poison whip from his fingertips and, with a quick jerk, caught the sword up into his grasp. Rin clapped her hands in joy, a proud look on her face.

"Well done, my lord!" she exclaimed, running up to his side. He grunted and studied the sword he held in his hand. Something was not right... What was this feeling? Taking the sword by the rough and beaten hilt, Sesshoumaru gave it a swift flick, causing the sheathe to dislodge and fall to the ground. He brought the chipped blade to his eyes, wondering why the Tessaiga was not reacting in its usual manner. He felt no power resonating from it, and this confused him.

"What is wrong, Sesshoumaru-sama?" came Rin's next inquiry. "Is it broken?"

"Hn..." he grunted, swinging the sword back and forth, calling for its power, but none came. That led him to one conclusion.

"This infernal sword has been tossed aside, with no promise for another master. Even out of my hanyou brother's clumsy hands, it refuses to obey me." He stared at it with displeasure, angry that the fang would not succumb to him.

"It is Inuyasha's sword then! But why would he lose it?" Rin paused for a moment, her young mind at work. "Maybe someone took it and hid it in the ravine."

"No. He is much too stubborn to let anyone take it, including this Sesshoumaru."

"Oh." Her face suddenly brightened. "He must have thrown it away because he didn't like it anymore."

"Unlikely." With that, Sesshoumaru turned and walked towards the Tessaiga's sheathe, lying on the ground. He nudged the end of the blade into the sheath and with a peculiar movement, flipped it into the air and met the sword with its scabbard so it fell and clicked into place.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin trotted beside her master as he started to depart. "If Inuyasha doesn't want his sword, can I have it?" The taiyoukai chuckled quietly, a small smile in the corner of his mouth.

"I do not think it is wise to hand a small child the sword that can kill one hundred demons in one swing."

"But my lord, what will you do with it? You already have Tenseiga and Tokijin." Sesshoumaru looked down upon Rin and gave a small sigh. He slid Tessaiga into his sash, picked her up and held her precariously above him. After a moment, he propped her into the white fluff that surrounded his right shoulder.

"No more questions, Rin. Now hang on tightly to me."

"Yes, my lord!" She clutched the soft material with as much grip as she could muster. Without another word, Sesshoumaru bent his head and leapt into the air. He would find Inuyasha and demand that he, Sesshoumaru, be declared the new master of the Tessaiga.

Warmth...there was warmth, surrounding her. It spread on her face, on her shoulders, on her legs. Kagome opened her eyes and blinked away the blur that accompanied her vision. Lush, green grass and tall trees came slowly into view. Questions began to form in her clouded mind.

"Where...am I?" she asked aloud. She searched the area for anything familiar, and found quickly by a small stream of light smoke that she was near a village. Kagome braced herself on her elbows and sat up slowly, feeling light-headed. How did she get here?

As she found her balance, her hand closed around a small, round, and slightly warm object. In her palm sat the Shikon no Tama, in its purest form. Her eyes wandered to her attired and found that she was dressed in priestess' robes, not her usual school uniform. And uneasy feeling crept into her chest.

"Naraku!" she gasped. It all came rushing back to her. Naraku had tricked her to coming to his mansion, and stole the jewel from her! And not only that, he had violated her in the worst of ways. She remembered his hands upon her, then a growing radiance from her hands. However, those were not her only memories. Images of Inuyasha running towards her, hugging her, fighting for her, screaming, crying... Her heart filled with sorrow and her lip trembled as she realized that she wanted to hold him, and hug him tightly. A vision of arms encircling her appeared in her mind's eye. With her heart filled with sadness, she let herself be held and she looked up into the face of the man holding her...

Demonic, red eyes gazed down upon her, surrounded by long ebony tresses. A devilish smile played on his lips as the demon lord trapped her within his grasp. He kissed her mouth, opened from surprise, and his tongue explored her depths with nothing but wicked intentions. Kagome struggled and wanted to scream, but her voice was lost in his lecherous embrace.

_'Oh, Inuyasha, help me!'_ she cried silently, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her lips were released after what seemed an eternity of his onslaught. The pressure of his arms locking her in made Kagome shake with fear, but when she felt his hot breath on her face, she froze on the spot. He was licking her tears, with long, drawn out strokes that made her shudder. More tears leaked out and she stifled a sob as he quickly caught the salty liquid on his lips. To her horror, he began to laugh, an evil, guttural sound that made her skin crawl. She wanted to escape so badly.

"You can never escape me, Kagome," he answered, as if he were inside her mind at that very moment. He pushed back her white gi so her skin was exposed, and his mouth clamped down on her neck, biting her pale flesh. She grit her teeth as a sharp pain shot was injected into her shoulder, making her eyes water again.

"You belong to me..."

"No!!" The pain became so unbearable that she screamed and a blinding pink light came between them, and Naraku was forced away from her. She continued until the light dissipated and her mind became clear. Her eyes opened for real as the vision faded. Fresh sobs came from her shaking body, and she found herself holding the Shikon jewel in her hand, its pink aura rapidly evaporating as she cradled it in her palm. She also noticed that it was incredibly hot and yet, it did not scald her. It... helped her? How was that possible?

Kagome wiped her tears away and breathed slowly. The jewel pulsated and brought her calmness, strengthening her mind and heart. She was filled with a sudden determination and she stood up, brushing away the dirt and leaves from her robes. Up ahead was a wide, rocky pathway leading down a hill in the same direction in which she saw the smoke from earlier. Kagome fingered the gem inside her pocket as she walked down the gentle slope. As long as her hand remained on the Shikon no Tama, Naraku was kept at bay.

Crossing the vast fields in the village, she spotted a rickety wooden sign that read 'Nakajima Inn'. Making sure that her tears were gone and the jewel safely hidden, she entered the building. A hush fell over the room as the miko crossed the floor, stopping at the counter where the innkeeper stood. He was an older man with untidy hair in a plain brown gi.

"Excuse me, sir, but have you seen my friends? There's a monk and a demon-slayer, along with a fox-child and a two-tailed cat." The man's eyes were skittish as Kagome spoke to him, but as he listened to her companion's descriptions, he looked around and nodded slowly.

"The child and two-tail are in the village with some of the children that live here. The young woman went to get supplies in the market, and the monk is selling fortunes to people in the village. Most of them appear to be young maidens." Kagome breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad they're here. Thank you, sir." She bowed in gratitude.

"No trouble at all. They came in an hour or so ago and asked if I had seen a girl wearing strange clothing." He eyed her priestess robes considerably. "Am I to assume that you are the one they are looking for?"

"Yes, I am. I'll let them know I'm here." She bowed again and left the inn. As she left, Kagome realized that her hand was still resting around the jewel, and that it had cooled down significantly. Perhaps it was because Naraku was far away from her now. When he was near, it got so hot...

She shook her head, brushing away her thoughts. There wasn't time for that! Kagome walked through the small town, keeping an eye out for her friends. The road came to a fork and she took the right path. She heard children shouting and laughing up ahead, and she rushed forward.

"You're It!" a tiny voice yelled, and other children screamed and giggled. Her eyes met about seven or eight children, all dressed in brown or grey yukatas. Except one. A precocious little fox-child wearing a green vest, chased the village children, laughing out loud. Kagome felt tears spring into her eyes and ran to him.

"Oh Shippo!" Kagome rushed into the middle of the game and snatched up her friend in an instant.

"Hey! Put me down, I'm It!" he protested. Shippo peered up into Kagome's face and his smile returned. With a cry, he threw his arms around her neck.

"Kagomeeee!" he wailed, "I missed you so much!" Relief flooded her heart and she held his tiny form to her chest.

"I know, I missed you too. I'm sorry that I disappeared Shippo." She held him up and smiled warmly. "I'll never leave you again." She was surprised to see tiny droplets in Shippo's eyes, rolling down his cheeks.

"Don't cry, I'm here." She patted his back as she held him gently in her arms. Her attention drew to the children surrounding her. "Could we be alone for a little while? I promise he'll come back and play, okay?" All the children nodded and ran back to the main road, leaving the two of them alone. She brushed his hair out of his face, along with his tears.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked, sitting in the grass to comfort the small kit. He sniffled and looked up at her in wonder. She had never called him that before.

"I...we thought we'd never see you again! You had vanished at first, and then you came back wrapped in all sorts of bandages. Then you left again in the middle of the night, and we heard that Inuyasha found you and he said you went home in the well without telling us, and...and..." He whimpered miserably, crying again in Kagome's shoulder.

"I know I was gone for a long time, and I'm sorry. I had some trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" the child whispered.

"I'll tell you soon, I promise. Now where are Sango and Miroku? They don't know that I'm here yet. I have so much to tell them!"

"And me too?" Shippo pouted, not wanting to be left out.

"Yes, you too." She nuzzled his nose playfully.

"Well, knowing Miroku, he'll probably be surrounded by pretty girls. And Sango is out getting food at the market, just beyond the rice fields."

"Alright then, let's go find them!" Shippo sprang from Kagome's arms and bounded to the main road, waiting for Kagome to follow. They meandered their way to the rice fields and immediately spotted Sango, carrying three bags of food under her arms. Kilala sat on her shoulder, mewing happily. In no time, Kagome ran to her and hugged her neck, almost making her drop the food.

"Oh, Kagome! When did you arrive?" she asked breathlessly. Kagome answered all of her questions, and just like Shippo, reassured her that she was okay and apologized for being away for so long. They hugged again, overjoyed that they were reunited once more. Kilala jumped on Kagome's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek while purring cheerfully.

"Now, all that's left is Miroku." Sango sighed and Shippo shook his head. Kagome cocked an eyebrow, wondering at their reactions. What had that monk done this time?

"Nothing. At least, not anything aside from the ordinary." As the four of them came up the road, a group of giggling women were gathered outside of the inn. Centered in the group was the infamous lecher known as Miroku. He currently held the hand of a woman with a pink kerchief on her head, and a blush to match. As Kagome drew nearer, she could overhear his zealous words.

"Oh yes. You will have many children and be prosperous in the rest of your days," he predicted in a smooth voice.

"Who will my husband be? Do you see?" she asked, after many giggles. The handsome monk clasped both her hands in his, pulling her close.

"Your husband will come soon. He will be charming, handsome, strong, loyal...and yes, he has deep blue eyes, sleek black hair, a tall stature, and," he winked at her, "many talents."

"Oh my..." the young lady whispered, her blush deepening. Their faces were but a hair's breadth apart.

"If I may ask one favor of you, my lady?" he said softly, the tips of his fingers brushing her cheek. She was one kiss away from swooning in the monk's arms.

"Anything..." she breathed.

"Would you...do the honor of bearing my child?"

"Oh!" The blushing woman had fainted straight away, falling backwards into her friend's arms, and Miroku gave a silent chuckle. Her friend carried her to the side of the fence and fanned her feverishly. Every other girl suddenly shrieked and crowded even closer, eager to await their fortunes.

"Now, now ladies, one at a time," he chided playfully. Beyond the crowd, Sango had her arms crossed and her head turned away.

"Well, he's pretty friendly with everyone, isn't he Sango?" Kagome said cheerfully.

"I suppose..." Sango sighed and then pushed her way through the crowd. By the time she managed to squeeze through, Miroku had his hands on yet another maiden. Just a moment away from asking his catch-phrase question, and Sango had him by the ear and dragged him away from the gaggle of women, despite the loud protests of them all. Sango set them straight with one fierce glace, to which they departed.

"Ow! Sango, please! What's wrong?" Miroku pleaded. She gave his ear an extra-hard tug before letting go, giving a harsh sigh.

"While you were off making friends, someone very important showed up," she informed him, a slight tic in her cheek. He looked around, rubbing his sore ear. The moment he spotted Kagome, his face lit up with sheer happiness.

"Kagome-sama!" he exclaimed, jumping up and hugging her tightly. A grin of pure joy spread over his face and, deciding that hugging wasn't enough, he picked her up and spun her around, laughing out loud. Kagome laughed with him, excitement overflowing inside her. As he set her down, embracing her yet again, a strange feeling shot through her. He let go, and Kagome's hand snuck into her pocket.

"Now that we're all together, you must tell us what happened Kagome. We were so worried about you!" The miko looked around nervously. Now that she had come here, did she really want to tell them everything?

"Not here..." she answered slowly. "Do you have a room at the inn?"

"Yes. The last room on the left. We have it until midday tomorrow." Kagome nodded and they filed into the inn, requesting that they not be disturbed. As soon as they were settled, Kagome began her tale from the time when she was chased by the demon in the forest, all the way to when she had escaped Naraku's grasp. She was careful to omit certain details that Shippo wasn't permitted to hear, but left in as much detail as she could about anything else. It was well after dusk when she finally finished, and it left the four of them in deep silence. None of them were without questions, however.

"So where is the Shikon jewel?"

"Where's Inuyasha?"

"Did you kill Naraku?" Kagome sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"As for Naraku, no. He's still alive. The last time Inuyasha was seen was by you three on the forest path. You say he ran away after you confronted him, and I haven't seen him since I was by the Bone Eater's Well. And as for the jewel..." Everyone leaned in as she brought forth the sparkling gem, casting a faint pink glow on all of their faces.

"It's...whole," Sango whispered in awe.

"Yes. The last shard was in my hands while Naraku had the rest of the jewel. He..." She took a breath, "He took it from me and fused it together. I managed to steal it away while I was being held captive."

"Oh, Kagome. It must have been so dangerous! I'm glad you made it back safely," Sango said quietly. Miroku nodded in agreement.

"As am I. However..." He looked straight into Kagome's eyes. "I am left to wonder why Naraku would bother to kidnap you again, knowing full well that he got what he came for." For a split-second, Kagome held his gaze. Did he know? She faltered and the words caught in her throat. A blush crept up her neck and her face felt hot.

"He...I don't know why. I mean, you're right. Naraku had the jewel and he told me that

'_Your home is with me.'_

"My time is coming to an end. He wants to...kill me."

"No!" Sango cried, "He can't! He won't!"

"Sango, stay calm. He won't kill her. I'll see to that." Miroku smiled, though a little grim.

"We promise to protect you, Kagome," Shippo added, jumping into her arms and hugging her. She gave a melancholic smile, but on the inside, her heart was crumbling. Why did she keep lying to everyone? All the wanted to do was protect her.

And she wanted to protect them. No matter what the cost. Dark images began to slip into her mind, images of Naraku triumphing, and the Shikon jewel casting an evil glow upon his face. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and clamped down on the jewel in her hand. The images vanished.

"Kagome, are you okay?" Sango's voice seemed to echo.

"Yes, I'm all right." Kagome forced a smile. "Don't worry." Another lie...

"Well, as long as Kagome keeps the jewel hidden, she should be safe. We'll be sure to keep an eye on her also," said Miroku.

"Yeah! If Naraku messes with us, I'll blast him with my Kitsunebi!" declared Shippo, expelling a burst of green flame from his palm, which extinguished quickly.

"Thank you, everyone," said Kagome. A warm blanket seemed to cover her body and she realized that it was happiness. But it was fleeting as other thoughts invaded her mind. Thoughts of failure. Naraku was just too powerful. She wished she were stronger, that she had better willpower. She wished...

"I wish Inuyasha were here," she said softly. For a moment, they were all silent.

"I know. And he'll return soon," Sango reassured her.

"Do you have any idea where he went? Any at all?" She looked back and forth between her friends, but they all shook their heads.

"We were on our way to this village when he came out of the forest and into the pathway. He was in an unstable state of mind at the time. We exchanged some rather heated words, and then he ran off in the opposite direction."

"I see." Kagome sighed. "I suppose he was pretty angry at me."

"I don't think that at all," replied Sango. "He was very angry, but not towards you. From what I understood, he had failed to protect you. It was like he had gone mad."

"Failed to protect me? No...it couldn't be helped. Naraku had me trapped in a barrier that Inuyasha couldn't break." Kagome felt sick. In her mind, she recalled the determined look on the hanyou's face, straining with all his might to free her from the entrapment. Only when Naraku forced his kiss upon her did Inuyasha seem to give up. It was like all the emotion assuaged out of him. It wasn't his fault!

The young priestess let out a sob, burying her face in her hands. It wasn't supposed to be this way! Why did Naraku choose here? There were plenty of young priestesses in Feudal Japan, let alone young girls. What made her so special? Even as these questions flashed by, the answers weren't far behind. She was Inuyasha's one and only weakness. And that made her grief double.

"Kagome, why don't you get some rest? You've been through hell today. I promise that we'll find Inuyasha together, starting first thing in the morning." Miroku stood and placed a gentle hand under her arm, helping Kagome to her feet. She nodded feebly, feeling suddenly exhausted. They all separated into their corresponding rooms, Miroku and Shippo on the left, and Sango, Kilala, and Kagome on the right.

The tiny two-tail curled up on the corner of Sango's bed, her ear twitching every so often. Kagome removed her hakama and slept only in her gi. She settled under the blankets, staring at the ceiling. Before drifting off, she turned her head towards her friend."

"Sango?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think Inuyasha's all right?"

"Well...yes. He can take care of himself. He's a strong man."

"I hope you're right." And with that, they fell into a sound, dreamless sleep. For that, Kagome was grateful.

"Kanna, where are you?" called Kagura, searching the corridors and rooms of Naraku's castle. After a considerable amount of looking, she stopped and fanned herself gently.

"Where has that petulant girl gone?" she asked aloud. As she rested against the wall, the familiar figure of a small girl dressed in white finally appeared before her.

"I do not answer to you, Kagura," she spoke in a smooth, monotonous voice, the mirror in her hands reflecting Kagura's face.

"You will obey me until Naraku is healed. And my first order for you is simple. Find Inuyasha!" For a moment, Kanna narrowed her eyes, as if defying the demand. But the next moment, the mirror in her hands swirled with white fog, clouding the surface. Kagura studied it carefully as shapes and shadows floated upon the glass. Suddenly, the fog gathered and drifted away, as if a strong wind were inside the looking glass. A dark scene appeared before her, trees and a stream...then a small wooden well in the middle of a clearing. A glimpse of silver caught her eye and she realized that it was the hanyou.

"Your work is done, Kanna. You are dismissed." Without so much as a blink, Kanna vanished and Kagura was on her way outside. She flung open the doors, plucked a long, slender feather from her hair ornament and, in a gust of wind, she soared off into the sky. Trees and fields rushed by in a green blur, scattered with small villages and sparkling blue rivers. As she neared her destination, Kagura tipped the oversized down feather downwards, her eyes scanning the clearing until she spotted the tiny brown dot that was the well. A light jump, and she leapt off the feather and landed on bended knee. Her hand snatched up the drifting feather, now back to its original size, and placed it firmly back into the ornament.

With bold determination, the young woman approached the Bone Eater's Well. She bit the tip of her fan, stepping lightly around the corner. Sure enough, the hanyou was there. His aura was so thick with sadness, he didn't even twitch when Kagura stood directly in front of him.

"My my, Inuyasha. Why so glum?" No response of any kind came from him. His eyes, usually bright and full of determination, had the fire blown out of them. But that wasn't his only sign of weakness. She noticed that the sword that was normally at his side was nowhere to be found.

"What's the matter, hanyou?" she said slowly, poisoning her words with malice. "Have you lost your will to fight, now that Kagome is no longer with you?" A shimmer of red appeared in his seemingly dead gaze.

"Oho," she chuckled. "I guess not. You're still angry. Kagome was taken right under your nose and you couldn't do a thing to prevent it. And yet, somewhere, in that pathetic, half-breed body of yours, you still want to fight. You think you can protect her." She had an insidious smirk on her face as she watched the effect of her words. To her surprise, Inuyasha's mouth moved, whispering inaudible words.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I...can't...more..."

"Please, Inuyasha, that sweet whisper of yours might make me swoon. Speak up!"

"I can't fight for her anymore!" he bellowed, digging his claws into the ground.

"Hmph, of course you can't, you fool. You don't even have your sword. You're mind and spirit are weak! There's no possible way you could rescue her. Why..." she paused, kneeling down so that they were eye level, "she might even want to stay with Naraku. She seems like that sort of girl—"

"Shut up!" The same red glimmer passed over his eyes once more, and Kagura found herself knocked back, the wind rushing out of her lungs, and a large clawed hand around her neck.

"You take me to her now. Take me to that bastard's castle," he growled, squeezing her neck so tightly that her cheeks turned a blotchy red.

"Ah...haa..." the faintest sound came from her throat and he released her, her body crumpling as she gasped for air. After a full minute of recovery, she glared at him, gritting her teeth.

"Agreed. But you have to do something for me, Inuyasha."

"What?"

"I lead you to the castle. In return, you will find my heart."

"Your heart?"

"Yes," she wheezed. "Naraku has my heart captive. In his chambers, there is a vase, and inside is my heart." He eyed her with disbelief, and grimaced.

"I don't think so," he muttered, turning away from her. "I can find his castle by myself."

"Really. You think you can find a castle that has no location? Then forget the girl. It's that simple. Either you can retrieve my heart and I can take you to Kagome, or you can keep sitting here and wallow in your misery. _Like the dog you are!_" Inuyasha felt his heart clench in pain. Her words held too much truth, and his grief finally overwhelmed him. He turned his head just enough for Kagura could see his mouth move.

With a satisfied smirk, Kagura moved forward past him, leading him to Kagome.

As dawn broke, Kagome awoke before anyone else. A strange feeling had overcome her during the night, and she didn't sleep much at all. She stood up quietly and donned the cherry red hakama in the usual fashion. Then she stepped outside through the back door, cradling the jewel in her palm. It's pulsing warmth gave her comfort. Her eyes met the road ahead.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "but I don't want you involved." No sooner had she taken her first step towards a lonely journey, a hand grabbed her wrist, making her jump.

"Now Kagome, surely you weren't going to break your promise so soon."

"Miroku!" she stammered, "I-I..." The monk sighed, running his fingers through his tousled hair. He pulled her next to him.

"We promised to go together, remember?"

"I know that, but I don't want-"

"Go on, say it." Kagome shuffled her feet, not meeting his eyes.

"I don't want any of you to get hurt. That's all," she mumbled. Miroku chuckled, giving her an encouraging smile.

"My dear Kagome, that's the least of any thing you should worry about. Besides, we are the ones that are worried about you."

"Aa, but...Miroku, I'm afraid," she said slowly, trying to hide her trembling lip.

"What are you afraid of?" Miroku put an arm around her, and she instinctively rested on his shoulder.

"Him. I'm afraid of him. Naraku."

"I am too, Kagome. We all fear him a little. He's an extremely powerful demon. He's hurt all of us in some form or fashion. Though, I think your experience with him was the most terrifying. Therefore, you have every right to be afraid." A sniffle rose out of her, and she buried her face in his sleeping robe.

"But I'm not supposed to be afraid! I have the power to defeat him with the Shikon no Tama. I just want to run away though. All I am is a coward. And if I run away, he'll come after me, and hurt everyone I care about in the process." Kagome tried her best to keep the tears from leaking out, but in the end, Miroku could feel his shoulder getting damp. He hugged her tightly and let her cries subside before speaking to her once more.

"Listen to me, Kagome. You are a dear friend to me, and I would have this hole in my hand destroy me before Naraku would harm a hair on your head. Sango and Shippo would do the same."

"Mm..." the young girl nodded. "It's just that, sometimes I feel like this is too much. Naraku's power is immense, and it would take more than just the four of us to defeat him."

"Well, of course it would. And that's precisely why we have to search out Inuyasha. I believe, with all of our strength combined, that we can rid Japan of that demonic man forever. You just have to trust us." At those words, Kagome looked into Miroku's eyes and saw a fiery determination burning inside them. She also saw his left hand clenched tightly, no doubt in awareness of his kazaana. Her heart hitched when she realized how selfish she had been. She wasn't the only one Naraku had scarred.

"You, also, have suffered," she whispered.

"Perhaps. But I would rather it be I than you. Now," he said, the tone in his voice changing, "with your blessing, Kagome-sama, I would like to declare myself your official protector until Inuyasha's return."

"Huh?" Kagome furrowed her eyebrow, wondering why he would offer such a thing. "That's nice of you, Miroku. I guess it's okay."

"Wonderful! Now, listen carefully, my lady. As your official protector, I shall resume all rights and privileges that were Inuyasha's up until his disappearance. Until he joins us again, they will now be my responsibility," he said, seemingly in one breath.

"Erm...yes?" she replied, unsure of what exactly he was implying. In a flurry of clever movements, she realized what she gave him permission to do. A lascivious smile flashed upon his face, and realization flashed upon hers. While his eager hand groped her behind, her own hand found his face just as quickly.

"Lecher!" she shouted. The young monk whimpered, the sting of her slap throbbing in his cheek. "Ah, you never change, dear Kagome," he groaned, still smiling. She sighed heavily, and without warning, burst into a giggle.

"What's so funny?" Miroku asked, rubbing his cheek. "Is this a new reaction to my affections?"

"No, Miroku," she laughed, holding her sides. "It's only that...well, even after all that's happened, I still have the ability to smile. I thought that I'd never smile again..." she trailed off, looking up into his blue eyes. For a fleeting moment, she thought of moving closer-

"Good morning Kagome!" said a chipper voice behind her. Turning around, she saw Sango, Shippo, and Kilala coming through the doorway.

"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed, her reverie no more, "Good morning, minna."

"Did you sleep well?" Sango asked.

"Well, I suppose I did."

"Good, we have quite a day ahead of us, so let's get moving." The small group checked out of the inn and headed back into the forest. A familiar path met them not long after and, with a proud smile, Shippo knelt down and began sniffing out Inuyasha's scent. When he had gotten a faint whiff, Shippo leapt into the air with joy, then continued the search. They soon found themselves in the clearing of the Bone Eater's well.

"Is it getting any stronger, Shippo?" Miroku asked.

"No, not really. The scent is the same, but..." he sniffed around each corner of the well, "he was definitely here." Kagome shifted, giving a small sigh. Where could he be?

"Look!" Sango bent down, running a hand down the side of the well. She held it up high, where the sunlight made the discovered object glimmer. It was a sleek strand of white-silver hair.

"No mistake," Shippo said, giving it a thorough sniff. "That's definitely him."

"And that's not all, look here." Miroku picked up another white object. The small, ornate feather fluttered in his palm as he handed it to Shippo to identify it's scent.

"Yechh!" he exclaimed, obviously disgusted with it.

"What? What is it?"

"That feather has the scent of Naraku." The small fox kit wrinkled his nose.

"You mean that Naraku was here with Inuyasha? That's impossible. If he was, there would be blood all over the ground from their fighting."

"Wait." Shippo took a breath of fresh air, then quickly sniffed the feather again." Kagome found herself staring at it, wondering where she had seen it before.

"Kagura!" they shouted, coming to the same conclusion.

"Why would Kagura meet Inuyasha here?" Sango queried.

"Hmm. Well, we can only speculate. If we're going to find some real answers, we'd best be off finding their trail." Miroku pointed to where the pathway continued.

"Good idea, I'll sniff them out!" Shippo took a stance of determination, and everyone laughed.

"Okay then. Onward!" And their journey continued.

I...know. I'm not giving you guys much to chew on. But I'm busy working very hard on Chapter 8, called Demise. We all know what demise means. I'm going to play J.K Rowling for a bit and kill someone off. Don't know who yet, maybe you guys can suggest someone XD. Gawd...it's been like 2 years since I've updated!!! I don't know what to think about that, and I'm sorry to all of my readers! I'm in college right now, and if anyone's been in college, you can testify that it takes alot of studying and preparation. That means I get to give up all of my hobbies, including fanfiction. Again, I'm really sorry for all of this. Please go my art site, "m o o n i e s t a r dot d e v i a n t a r t dot c o m" for my more recent antics. Until then, don't give up on me!!


	8. Demise

Chapter 8

Demise

The wind was steadily picking up around Naraku's castle, blowing thick clouds into the shape of an ominous ring. The only thing more frightening than the atmosphere was the horrific act hidden beneath the castle ground. Underneath a tightly locked hatch, Naraku was regenerating the last of his broken body. His long pale fingers pressed and prodded all over his new torso, testing its resilience. He was weaker without the Shikon jewel, and his chances of obtaining it were even slimmer. However, he realized with an evil grin that Kagome owned the gem and there was one thing she was weak to. That was himself.

The bruises over his ribs turned from a garish purple to a pasty yellow, then vanished altogether. The rest of his wounds had presumably closed up, and Naraku got to his feet. He tied his thick, ebony hair up high using a band of elastic, brushing the bangs out of his eyes. Kagome would pay dearly for what she had done.

"Kagura!" he called, summoning his incarnation. Or so he thought. He made another attempt to bring her flesh to him, for he knew that since she was an offspring of him, her body was naturally drawn to his. Not to mention that in the furthest room of the castle, her warm, beating heart lay dormant in an urn. She was his to control.

So why did she not come when summoned? The conniving wench must be up to something. She did, in fact, have free will. That much was certain. But this was the first time she dared to openly defy him. Naraku made no further attempts and instead climbed up from the basement.

Almost immediately, he encountered Kanna. Her mirror glinted mysteriously, even though there was not a light source for it to reflect.

"You, girl." He knelt down so he was level with her inky, black eyes. "Give me Kagura's location." She was silent for a moment and did not move. This was normal behavior for her. What was not normal was the mirror. It was not responding. Naraku shook her small shoulders, and she almost dropped the precious object.

"Did you not hear? Find that accursed woman!" Kanna's expression didn't change, except for the tiniest crease on her brow. A cirrus-like fog swept by the mirror's surface, revealing a very blurred image of the woman he was searching for. It was like peering through a muddy lake. Nonetheless, he could tell it was Kagura. Her location was not revealed, and was lost in darkness. The dark lord's nose was mere inches away from the reflective glass, searching hard for any sign of her whereabouts. A tiny bead of sweat formed on Kanna's brow. Apparently the image had been difficult to conjure, and even more difficult to keep steady.

"She keeps me away," the girl said slowly. Suddenly, there was an instant flash of deep red next to Kagura's arm. In his eagerness, Naraku ripped the delicate looking glass from Kanna's hands, frantic to know what he had just seen. But in his haste, he had broken the connection between the mediums, of Kanna's power and the image that held Kagura and the mysterious red color just a finger's width away.

Naraku was livid. The blank glass stared back at him, mocking him. He threw it sharply against the wall, causing the enchanted glass to shatter in neat, even pieces. Kanna watched silently as the shards rained upon the floor, turning a dusty black as they landed. Naraku was gone by the time she looked up.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was not amused. A distinct tic had formed in his cheek, coupled with a hard, furrowed brow. Who had given her permission to do this? Not him, not the all-powerful Sesshoumaru. The scent of lavender and violet floated beneath his sensitive nose, and he held his breath. He was most assuredly allergic to the weeds, and had been known to seize up into terrible sneezing fits if he did not close his nasal passages right away. Such an act was disgraceful to a taiyoukai like himself, and he would not dare let anyone see it happen. He wanted nothing more than to claw the flowers out of his hair, but knew it would upset the young human girl. She had spent half the afternoon picking flowers as they traveled, humming a senseless child's song to herself along the way.

It was late afternoon when he stopped to let her rest. He settled himself by a mossy boulder, letting the heavy armor and swords slip from his torso. While Rin climbed up onto the large rock behind him, arranging ring after ring of blossoms in his hair, he took Tessaiga from it's sheathe again. In its normal state, it was nothing more than a chipped and rusted blade attached to a worn hilt. But when his idiotic half-brother wielded it, the sword was transformed into an enormous, and very powerful fang. Sesshoumaru lifted Tessaiga into the air, studying its shape and size, and the way the setting sun made the unkempt steel glint like dull silver. He poured his will into it, commanding it to transcend its normal state of being. There was no reaction.

He sighed lightly, returning the sword to the saya once more. As Sesshoumaru shifted, layers upon layers of flowers, leaves, and petals showered down his face. A rather large chain of thick, pink blossoms fell around his bangs. Rin giggled from above his head, clapping her hands joyfully.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is very pretty now," she declared. He slowly reached a hand up to his newly acquired embellishments, pulling off the flower chain and staring at it as if he had never seen a plant in his life. He looked back at Rin, who grinned widely. In her lap were dozens of flower ringlets, strung together quite neatly. While she had his attention, she picked up a chain of fully bloomed daisies and placed them on her head like a butter-yellow crown. He watched her curiously as she fluffed her hair and dusted off her yukata, in a similar fashion of high-class youkai. Rin stood up on the rock, and adorned what she thought was a nonchalant air.

"I am the Lady Rin, ruler of the Eastern Lands! Who are you to stand before me, hmm?" She crossed her arms and gave a half-playful glare, trying hard not to smile. He gazed blankly at her, still holding the ring of pink flowers in his hand. She was clearly mocking his disposition, and he wasn't sure if he should scold her or perhaps be amused at her boldness. Humans were remarkably simple creatures when they were young, and this one in particular could be entertained by anything. He decided to grant her a response that would please her.

"Dear Rin-sama," he replied softly, "do forgive your humble servant." At this moment, Sesshoumaru did something he had never done before. He turned himself around to face Rin and placed is only hand on his chest. One knee was bent and his face cast downward. It was an unmistakable bow, and in front of a human child no less. More flower petals rained down from his silver hair.

Rin stared in awe and couldn't close her mouth. The great Sesshoumaru was kneeling before her! She didn't know what to do or say. Usually when she started little games like this, he brushed her off or told her to play with Jaken. She had jostled for his attention for so long, that when she finally had it, she was frozen in uncertainty. He didn't want him to get mad at her either.

"Ano...it's okay, Sesshoumaru-sama," she stuttered. Her hand reached out to touch the top of his head, finding that his hair was softer than corn silk. She never displayed her childish affection for wanting to play with his hair because it was an assumed taboo. It even took all the willpower she had not to play with the gossamer strands on the rare occasions that he slept.

"Then, I have the Lady's forgiveness?" he asked, making her pull away.

"Y-yes. You have it." She cleared her throat, crossing her arms again and looking to the side. "You may stand."

"Good," he replied firmly, standing up to don his armor and slipping the three swords into his sash. "We're going. And no more of this foolish game of yours." Rin frowned at the coldness of his words, slowly gathering up her flower chains and climbing off the rock. A touch of hope still existed when she saw that he had not abandoned the pink blossoms, wrapping them around his wrist. He turned away to continue their journey, and she was sure that for a fleeting moment, a ghost of a smile briefed his lips.

* * *

Deep in the forest, two figures could be seen walking along a beaten path. At first glimpse, they seemed to be side by side, but as they loomed closer, it was clear that one of them was falling behind.

"What's the matter, Inuyasha? Tired already?" Kagura taunted. She was about fifty yards ahead of him, traveling calmly along the road, while the hanyou stumbled behind, gasping for breath. Apparently, she thought it beneath her to simply walk on the road, and chose instead to walk in the air with aid from the wind under her control. It gave her the illusion of walking, but she moved twice as fast as the boy, and she used almost no energy on top of it all. For two hours, he had refused to ask to stop, not daring to show any signs of weakness to his enemy. Inuyasha cursed himself for not being a full-blooded demon, which could sprint for days if they were chasing a formidable prey.

"Shut up!" he roared hoarsely. "Just take me to that stupid castle already!" Kagura decided to grant him a little mercy and slowed down enough for him to catch up, stopping when he reached her. As soon as he was less than a yard away, he collapsed at her feet, eyes bloodshot and legs twitching from the pain he now felt. His lungs burned and he saw spots in his vision. Kagura stared indifferently at his struggle to breathe, scolding herself quietly. She should have known better than to bring Inuyasha to her master's castle in his condition.

Kagura landed and approached him, kneeling down to push him on his back. Never had she so blatantly disobeyed her master's orders. She had been given specific instructions not to come in contact with the enemy, unless her intent was to kill. However, she could not kill him just yet. Not until he fulfilled his part of the bargain.

"Get... the hell... off me," he panted, trying feebly to swipe at her. She dodged him easily and scoffed.

"Stop it. You're losing energy, and we're too close to the castle for you to be fainting like a weak little boy. Now open your mouth." He managed to look at her long enough to administer a half-hearted glare.

"Do it. You don't have a choice." Inuyasha obeyed, wishing that the blood in his head would at least slow down to a dull roar. Kagura took her fan from her robe, and began spinning a miniature tornado above his head. She separated the particles she needed from the useless ones, creating a twister of oxygen-saturated wind. Then, by placing the wide end of the tornado over his mouth, she forced the rich air down into his lungs. He automatically began to breathe deeper and more evenly. The color of his face faded from an angry red to light pink, and finally back to his normal cream color. Soon, his legs felt rested and his chest was rid of the flame that once burned inside it. She kept the air current flowing into his mouth, until he looked fully regenerated.

"Now, just pace yourself from now on. Otherwise, you'll be dead," she advised. The hanyou sat up, staring at her curiously. Kagura put her fan away, and then rubbed the tension out of her wrist. When she finally looked up, he was on his feet with his face turned away from her. She stood up also and saw his hands curl into fists.

"Let's keep going. I won't slow you down anymore," he said in a determined voice. Kagura nodded, walking past him in order to take the lead once more. But before she took her third step forward, she was suddenly seized by a horrid voice in her head, an angry and commanding shout. Layer upon layer of demonic screeching filled her thoughts, driving her to madness. The void in which her heart was torn out ached with an unspeakable pain. She screamed loud, clutching her head in agony, causing several feathers to fall out of her hair. He was calling her to him, her master. Naraku!

"Nooo! Not now! You can't!" she shrieked, falling to her knees. She ripped up clods of dirt and grass in an attempt to hold on to something, anything. Her body was shaking, and even beginning to fade. Inuyasha watched in horror as she resisted her summons. She pitched backwards, moving like a child throwing a grotesque tantrum. He moved without thinking, catching her in his arms. Kagura thrashed and shuddered, trying desperately to shut Naraku out. The hanyou tightened her grip on her, and she curled up in his lap, groaning from the effort of blocking her master's orders. The shaking turned into trembling, then subsided. Naraku had given up. A moment passed and she slowly raised her head.

Tears were streaming down her face, and her suffering and torment were revealed instantly. She had always thought of herself as a being with free will, a strong creature that had thoughts and movements of her own. But she was just proven wrong, and she felt vulnerable and ashamed. Inuyasha knew her weakness to her master's control. She had never been able to keep him at bay before, and yet this time...

"Hanyou..." she choked, "I mean, Inuyasha. Why do you hold me so?" Her cherry red eyes peered up at him, confused and curious. He suddenly became very aware of his hands on her back, and was quick to remove them.

"Er, well...you were in pain," he faltered. "And you helped me earlier, I guess..." A faint blush tinged his cheeks.

"Hmph, I suppose you're right," she said quietly. She dried her tears with her kimono, looking away from him in embarrassment. "Looks like we'll have to set aside our pride and look out for each other."

"Feh, you can. Once was enough for me, thank you," he muttered. Kagura stopped, surprised at his attitude. That did not bother her as much as his last two words. His sarcasm overshadowed the meaning, but Kagura was quite sure she had never heard any sort of gratefulness from anyone. Her answer caught in her throat as another episode claimed her mind, and she had to hold the soft, red cloth underneath her fingers in order to stay sane. He didn't mind, and told himself that this would be the last time that he would return the favor.

* * *

Dusk was falling quickly over the forest. Kagome and her companions were, unfortunately, losing Inuyasha's trail.

"Shippo...are you sure?" Sango prodded him, perhaps for the fourth time in the past hour.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he replied dejectedly, rubbing his sore nose. "He's vanished!"

"Maybe you just need a rest," Miroku suggested. Honestly, all of them needed rest. Shippo was nearly dragging his face against the dirt in order to prove that he was still up to sniffing the hanyou out. Kilala had joined him for a short time, though she had recently come down with a slight cold and couldn't help him out much at all. She soon retreated into Sango's arms and fell asleep. Sango could feel her arms tingling from holding the kit for so long, and Miroku himself was using his staff as a walking stick just to keep ahead of the group.

The only one showing no signs of fatigue was Kagome. Her hand was always enclosed around the Shikon jewel. It gave her comfort and strength, and even took away most of the fear she had when she thought about Naraku. He would pay dearly for what he had done.

"Oh, my nose!" Shippo moaned. "Miroku, can we stop now? I'm so tired."

"Yeah, I can barely stand up," Sango added. Kilala yawned in agreement.

"Okay. Let's set up camp before we fall asleep standing up." The sun had already set and they worked quickly with what little light they had. Soon there was a small fire and they didn't bother keeping it stoked, for they were sound asleep in their makeshift beds. For a second night, Kagome had no dreams.

Miroku was the first to awaken the next morning. He rekindled the fire, and then began searching for some food to bring back to everyone. He was in luck, as he found a medium-sized lake connected with a freshwater stream. The others would not be awake until well after sunrise, so he decided to disrobe and take a much needed bath. The cool water was brisk and refreshing, clearing his drowsiness right away. After a few laps, he returned and dried off with one of the blankets he had slept on, since bringing a towel was not on his list of top priorities.

As he pulled his hair back out of his face, and straightened his clothing, the sound of splashing water reached his ears. He looked up to see Sango up at the stream, washing her face. He was surprised to see her up this early, considering how much she had complained about her lack of sleep the previous night. Still, she looked well rested. The monk watched for a bit as she pulled a wet comb through her dark hair, tugging slightly when she reached a knot. When she finished with one section, she would rub the palm of her hand over the area in a gentle, sweeping motion. Her eyes seemed to soften when she did this, and Miroku silently wished that her eyes would look at him that way.

The haze in his head cleared when he heard a shout from behind him. Sango had jumped up, hastily stuffing the comb in her inner pocket. She leapt over the stream to meet him.

"What was that?" she asked, looking concerned.

"I don't know. It seemed to come from where we set up camp." He motioned for her to follow him, and she obliged. It didn't take long for them to return to where the others slept, though when they arrived, everyone was quite awake. Shippo and Kilala were on all fours, their hair standing on end. Kagome was walking slowly towards a small creature that seemed to be rummaging through her yellow knapsack.

"Kagome, stop!" Miroku called out, taking up his monk's staff and walking in front of her. He had promised to protect her, after all. Whatever strange being this was, he wouldn't give up a fight so easily. Pointing the golden tip at this new enemy, he slowly approached, ready to leap into action if needed. When he was finally close enough to attack, he switched hands and sprung into battle.

"Wait, Miroku, it's just a--!" But Kagome was cut off with an involuntary gasp. A gleaming two-edged sword shot out towards the young man's throat, threatening to cut him at the neck. Sango clasped her hands over her mouth in surprise, while the two young kits growled at the dangerous aura they felt from the sword-wielder.

"Move," a dark voice commanded. Yellow eyes, lined with red, glared at the monk who was threatening his younger companion. Long, silver hair gleamed in the newly rising sun, giving him the appearance of an unearthly being. A young girl, no older than ten, removed her hands from Kagome's backpack, running behind her master. Everyone watched as the tension between the youkai and the monk thickened, until they could hold their breath no longer. Miroku dropped his staff, slowly raising his hands. Sesshoumaru kept his stance for a few more seconds, and then glanced behind him at the little girl who held onto his leg. Assured that she was safe, he put away his weapon.

"Rin," he spoke tautly, "What did I tell you about running off?" The girl named Rin bowed her head, looking sullen.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama. I was just—"

"I don't care what you were. You are to never leave again."

"But I was just so hungry!" she continued to protest. "I didn't eat anything for supper!" Sure enough, as she clutched her stomach through her tattered yukata, it growled loudly enough for her master to see that she wasn't lying.

"No more of your complaints. We're going." His words were final, and he chose to walk between Kagome and her companions, not waiting for Rin to decide if she was hungry enough to stay behind to find food. The young girl moaned, looking back and forth between Kagome's backpack and her decisive master. In the end, she started to follow him.

"Ah...hold on, onnanoko-san," Kagome started, but her voice cracked and the two strange, yet familiar people were almost out of sight. She looked back at Sango and Miroku, letting them know what she was about to do. Kagome caught up with Sesshoumaru and Rin.

"Wait a minute," she tried again, her voice clearer. Rin looked back at her, uncertain at what to do because her master did not acknowledge the older girl. "Hey, listen! If you hold on, I'll share some food with you."

"Really?" asked Rin, looking desperate for anything to eat.

"Yes, you can have anything we have, okay?" Kagome smiled at her, but as she looked at the back of the haughty taiyoukai, she frowned. "Sesshoumaru! How can you let her go hungry like this? She's just a little girl!" Rin gasped, suddenly looking frightened.

"No, Kagome...san," she said shakily, "You mustn't make Sesshoumaru-sama angry."

"Don't worry, Rin-chan, I'm not scared of him. He looks intimidating, but he can't hurt me." She winked and rubbed the small child's head. "Don't you agree?"

"Well...I guess. He's not that intimin..inidating. Or scary." Rin gave a small smile. Sesshoumaru stopped, and turned just enough so his words could be heard.

"Fine. Feed the girl. I don't care what happens to her." The priestess narrowed her eyes, seeing right through his ruse.

"Okay then. Let's go, Rin-chan."

"Hai!" she replied. As she turned to go back to the others, she heard the taiyoukai silently following them. He wasn't a very good liar.

She led them back to where a new fire was crackling hotly beneath a silver pot. Rin dove for the backpack again. Her hands dug out anything that she thought was food, including a bottle of shampoo, a tube of lip-gloss, and three packs of bubblegum. Soon, everyone was dipping a rich soup from the pot that hung over the fire. Rin slurped up long delicious strands of instant ramen, while taking long sips of soda between each bite. She never felt more refreshed, and soon Sesshoumaru didn't look angry anymore. He seemed content on sitting outside the circle, looking indifferent.

"Well, Rin, what are you and Sesshoumaru doing out here by yourselves?" Miroku asked kindly.

"Oh, that. We're looking for his brother, Inuyasha. And don't refer to Sesshoumaru-sama that way. He doesn't like it."

The group fell silent, and Rin continued eating her soup. She smiled and licked her lips.

"Isn't that right, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked brightly. He stared monotonously at them, before finally answering.

"Half-brother, Rin," was all he bothered to spare. He certainly didn't mince words. Kagome was in shock and couldn't stop staring at him. How could she have let him sit here with them, so peacefully, and yet all while hiding this secret from them? She was about to open her mouth, but Miroku stood up, his blue eyes quite fixed on the silver-haired demon.

"You were the one who took Inuyasha's sword from him, were you not?"

"What?" Kagome blurted out. This was news to her.

"What of it?" Sesshoumaru said in a clipped voice. He made no motion to hide the Tessaiga, and even took it from his belt to show them all.

"Return it to us, so we can give it back when we find him," Miroku demanded. If Sesshoumaru wasn't against showing raw emotion to his enemies, this would have been a prime time for him to bare his teeth in anger. But he was nearly catatonic as always.

"I will not. You do not understand. This sword is mine," he explained, as if commenting on the weather.

"The hell it is!" the monk shouted, his right hand clenching the beads around his left. Even if he had to suck the sword away from Inuyasha's brother, it would be in a safer place than in this demon's hands.

"Miroku, stop it!" Sango pleaded, hugging Shippo and Kilala in her arms.

"We have to get that sword back," he replied hastily, ready at any time to open up the wind tunnel.

"I'd listen to the woman, monk. Like I said, you do not understand. Although the sword is under my possession, it is nothing more than a topical threat. It will not obey me." Miroku slackened, confusion surfacing on his features.

"Then... why did you steal it from him?" Kagome asked, surprised that she found the courage to talk. Sesshoumaru did not look at her, insisting on staring at Tessaiga. "Are you so cruel that you'd steal his only weapon? Are you so selfish that you can't be satisfied with your own swords? Listen to me!" She found herself standing over the taiyoukai, demanding that he acknowledge her. He finally looked at her, and wondered slightly how fierce a glare he had given her, because she backed away and looked startled.

"Why would I, Sesshoumaru, go through the trouble of stealing my half-bred brother's sword when he was the one who did not want it in the first place?"

"Explain what you mean." Sesshoumaru looked disgruntled at her constant stream of questions.

"You humans can call it what you want. Stealing, or finding, it does not matter to me. However, when a sword such as this one is not kept under it's master's supervision, or is abandoned in some way, the power it holds is lost. Only when the master gives it to his successor through proper rites, is the sword's power kept intact. That Inuyasha obviously knows nothing of such traditions."

"So, what you're saying is that anyone can use that sword, as long as Inuyasha gives it up willingly to whoever he wants?"

"To put it simply, yes." By this time, Miroku had given up on his threat, and settled himself on a log by the fire, ready to ask his own impending questions.

"Why does Tessaiga not work for you? Inuyasha had to give it up, if what you say is true and you didn't steal it."

"Must I give you every answer to your endless questions?" he growled, becoming annoyed.

"You had better. If you don't, we'll...uh," Kagome had started her threat well enough, but she didn't have any leverage to work with. Except...

"We'll keep Rin until you answer everything we need to know." Rin looked up at the mention of her name, soup dribbling down her chin. Kagome waved at her and smiled, then looked back to Sesshoumaru. "There's no use hiding how much you care for her. If you didn't, you wouldn't still be here." A sigh came from the taiyoukai, and after a moment's silence, he finally gave in.

"Tessaiga was abandoned by Inuyasha," he replied, using as little words as possible. "He had no successor in mind when he discarded it, and now it transforms for no one. In order to restore the power it once held, I must find Inuyasha and he must declare me the rightful owner. Does that answer your question?"

Everyone nodded, mulling over his words and their meaning. Rin drank the last of her soup and gave a hearty burp. She stood up and skipped over to where everyone was gathered, eager to be a part of the group.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I'm ready to go now," the young girl announced. "But, I have a question." If anyone had looked closely enough, they would have seen Sesshoumaru's delicate, silver eyebrow twitch in exasperation. He had an expression that clearly said 'No more questions!' His patience was nearly nil.

"If we are looking for Inuyasha," she said, referring to herself and her master, "and they are looking for him too—"

"No." Sesshoumaru knew what she was intending to say, and he nipped her idea before it could be said.

"But, I was just going to say—"

"No," he repeated, looking at her coldly. "I have no tolerance for any more humans." Rin stomped her foot, and crossed her arms.

"I like Kagome and her friends. I want to stay." She gave a petulant pout and a look of defiance. Sango giggled, amused by the sheer backbone the young child had to stand up to him. Miroku also smiled and Kagome went to stand beside Rin.

"Well, Sesshoumaru-_sama_, it looks like Rin has made up her mind. She'll be staying with us, and I'll bet she'll be a big help too." Kagome grinned, poking the girl's belly playfully.

"Do what you want." Sesshoumaru stood up, placing Tessaiga back into his belt. He turned to leave with no goodbyes, and without warning, Rin dashed after him and grabbed his hand.

"No! Don't leave, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she cried. Her eyes were suddenly wet, her lower lip trembling.

"I shall leave when I like. Now release me," he commanded. But she held onto his hand tightly, refusing to let go.

"I don't want you to leave! I just want to stay with Kagome right now!" she pleaded.

"Sesshoumaru," Miroku began, "You want to find Inuyasha, I know. So do we. Why don't we travel together until then?"

"Yeah, that makes sense. There's no use traveling separately if we're all looking for the same person. Would you like that, Rin?" Kagome asked. Rin reached up to dry her tears, then nodded. She looked up at her master, hoping that he wasn't angry.

"Is this okay, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she said, tugging on his hand. He looked away from her, his silver hair swishing over her wrist.

"Do what you want. I shall leave when I like," he repeated. A huge grin appeared on Rin's face and she laughed out loud.

"Thank you, my lord!" She ran over to Kagome and hugged her waist.

"Now, now, we should get going. The day's halfway gone already."

They looked at the sun, halfway past the horizon. They packed their belongings while Rin and Kilala chased each other around a tree. Miroku put out the fire and packed away the recently washed dishes in Kagome's backpack. By the stream, Sesshoumaru waited for them to finish so that he could be on his way. Even though he would be traveling with them, he still thought of his journey as a singular action. Footsteps could be heard behind him and he narrowed his golden eyes. Such annoyances...

"So, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said thoughtfully, "You must really like Rin."

"And you must really find enjoyment in bothering me," he retorted.

"Hey, no changing the subject. Anyway, you care for her alot, don't you? Even though you hate humans."

"It's none of your business," he growled, "wench." Kagome was surprised. After all the talking he did in the campsite, he never once directly insulted anyone with name-calling.

"I am not a wench!" she shouted, glaring up at him. She wanted to punch his lights out, but she didn't think he would even let the wind from the attack touch him; his reaction would be so quick. But suddenly, his hand shot out and pulled down her collar from the side, exposing her pale shoulder.

"Hey, what do you think you're-!" she protested.

"If you are not a wench, as you claim, then what is this blood mark on your neck?" As his thumb pressed on the tender flesh, a sharp pain went down her spine, and memories of Naraku came flooding back into her mind. The bite he made on her had carried over from the dream! All this time, it had been there.

"It-it's not like that at all! I must've gotten it when I fell earlier or something," she said in a panicked voice.

"I think you are lying," he replied quietly, "It is Inuyasha's mark, is it not? I suspected he had taken you up as his mate." Kagome blanched at his statement.

"I, er...yes. He did," she stammered. She wanted him to back off, and to stop touching her neck. The scrape of his fine claws made her skin shiver. He did not seem to care, and continued to do so.

"Again, you lie. This bite mark wasn't made by that half-breed. It is still fresh."

"What do you know? If I say he did it, then he did!" she said angrily. "Besides, you just said so yourself."

"It was to prove that you are a liar, and a wench."

"Why you!" Kagome's voice was lost as Sesshoumaru brushed her hair out of the way, in order to inspect the bite more closely. She could feel his breath on her neck and his gaze burned holes into her skin.

"I am correct, he did not do this to you. Instead, you were taken by a full-grown demon." Her heart skipped a beat, but she wouldn't give in and confess.

"How do you know it was a demon? Surely you don't spend your time looking into the mouths of youkai and examining their fangs?" He chuckled shortly at her far-fetched imagination.

"There is no need." Heat rose into her face and neck as he fit his own teeth over the bite, his hand on the small of her back. His canine fangs were a perfect match to the indents of the mark, and a gasp escaped her lips as she felt his warm tongue lick her skin once, then twice. Sesshoumaru felt the priestess' body leaning into him, her hands struggling not to circle around his neck. He pulled away before she could react, trailing a thin line of saliva from her skin to his mouth. Kagome stumbled back, her hand flying up to the twice-bitten mark. As he licked his lips nonchalantly, looking at her through his silver lashes, she blushed furiously and couldn't string two words together. Her knees wouldn't stop shaking either.

"You see, as demons become fully mature, there is a certain way their teeth are cut to tell if they are adults, like myself," he explained, running his long fingers from his bangs to the back of his ear, "or if they still have some developing to do, like Inuyasha. If he were the one to leave this mark, the skin would not have broken due to his fangs being too small." Kagome doubted she had heard half the things he had said, and couldn't stop herself from gaping at his mouth. The lips that were moments ago attached to her flesh, making her heart flutter...the nerve he had!

"Well, ah...that is, I-" she faltered, "You could've just _told_ me that!"

"If my understanding of humans is correct, they are more subject to gathering information by demonstration. This was the most practical way to show you what I meant so you would understand. Don't you agree?" He was not smiling, but she was sure that Sesshoumaru was teasing her.

"You can't just do that, you know," she muttered, rubbing the tingling sensation out of her neck.

"And yet, you did not stop me."

"What are you saying, that I'm some sort of-of..."

"Wench?" he suggested.

"No!" she yelled exasperatedly. She didn't think she had ever been more flustered in her entire life. He seemed to sense this as well, and she clumsily anticipated his next move.

"If you're jealous over me being Inuyasha's lo-lover," the word nearly made her flush again, "then you had best get over it. If you come after me, I'll tell Inuyasha the second I find him!" she proclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. Her defiance melted away as he bent down to eye level, his hair falling around his face to create a dark shadow across his subtle features.

"Your efforts will all be in vain if I cover your mouth first," and he was a hair's breadth away from fulfilling his bold statement before a chipper voice reached them both.

"Kagome! Hey, we're ready to go, so come on and...oh!" Sango had appeared from between two trees, a small, traveling pack over her shoulder. She had expected to find only Kagome, and didn't anticipate finding the taiyoukai as well. Much less, she didn't expect them to be less than 3 feet apart. Or face-to-face, for that matter. Kagome looked quite red too.

"Ano...we need to get going, Kagome-san," Sango said uncertainly, shuffling her feet.

"Hai," she whispered, her eyes glancing nervously between her friend and her... she didn't know how exactly to describe him at the moment. Her companion? Her enemy? Or something else, perhaps. She meant to back away and follow her friend, but her legs wouldn't move.

Sesshoumaru found it quite amusing that the closer he was to her, the less her brain seemed to function. Using the hair hiding the width between their faces as cover, he closed the distance between them for a split-second, enough for her to blink once. It wasn't adequate to be considered what one would call a kiss, but a mere touch of lips and a faint, warm breath on her cheek. Kagome felt shocked to hear a small squeak come from her, and it was enough to jolt her and realize what she was doing.

"Hai!" she repeated loudly, making his sensitive ears ring. She jostled out of his parameter, bringing several strands of his hair out of place. Soon, she was by her friend's side, walking back to camp. Sesshoumaru brushed the meandering, silver strands back to their origin, an echo of a smirk on his lips. Humans really were intriguing, some more than others. He followed them moments afterward.

"What took you guys so long?" Shippo asked curiously, jumping up into Kagome's arms as she arrived into the clearing.

"Um, well, we were just..."

"Just making sure we didn't leave anything at the stream. Right, Kagome?" Sango finished, and Kagome was thankful for her friend's quick thinking.

"Oh yes! That's right. The stream. Nothing there, that's for sure." Kagome laughed weakly, and everyone shrugged. With everything packed away, the newly formed group continued their journey. Miroku was in the lead with Sango, then Kagome, Shippo, and Kilala in the middle, and Sesshoumaru and Rin bringing up the rear. Sango was busy scolding the monk, who was making closer and closer attempts to get a handful of her backside, with each attempt failing because of the exterminator's quick smacks.

"Miroku, can't you keep your hands to yourself for one minute? We're trying to find Inuyasha and all you can think about is copping a feel of my—"

"Now, now Sango," the monk interrupted, "don't say that. You know I care about Inuyasha as much as you do, and I would never disgrace you in any way. Besides, I'd watch your mouth. There are children present," he stated. Shippo looked insulted.

"If you mean me, Miroku, I'm not a little kid!" the kit protested. "I've seen you touch her butt before, so why should today be any different?" Kagome laughed, adjusting the weight of her backpack.

"Don't worry, Shippo. Miroku will learn how to treat a lady someday. Perhaps when he gets married?" Miroku fumbled over what to say, and couldn't come up with anything in Sango's presence except a shaky "Someday, just not today." A sudden squeak came from behind the bickering couple, and they turned to find Rin playing with Kilala's tails.

"Why does she have two of them? She's pretty!"

"That's because she needs them for balance when she flies," Sango explained.

"Wai! She can fly? I wanna see!" and before Sango could clarify, Rin picked up the tiny two-tail and threw her up in the air. If not for the fact that Kilala actually could fly, she would have plummeted to the ground. However, with a burst of red and orange, large flames engulfed Kilala. She transformed into her alternate form, performing a somersault before landing in front of Rin. At first, Rin was frightened and went to run behind Sesshoumaru as she had done so many times before. But Kilala purred and licked Rin's face, showing that she was the same creature she played with before.

"Here, I'll help you up," Sango said happily, once Rin had gotten used to Kilala's intimidating form. She lifted the small girl onto the thick-furred creature, instructing her to hang onto the fur behind Kilala's neck. Rin was still unsure about her decision, so Shippo volunteered to ride with her. Once both of them were secure, Kilala rose high into the air and over the treetops.

"Stay close to us, Kilala!" Sango shouted to the skies, and she received a cat-like roar as an answer. Kagome smiled as she watched the two children laugh and scream with glee. They were so care-free. She had barely begun to look forward again, when she spotted Miroku's beaded hand on the way to Sango's behind, and a one-way ticket to pain.

"Ow! Please, Sango, not so hard," he complained, rubbing his throbbing cheek. Even in submission to her attacks, he still managed to make his plea sound very suggestive. Sango promptly turned rose red and couldn't help but think of situations where he might say the same provocative sentence. She wished he wasn't so skilled at double entendres, because it made her seem like a lecher herself.

"Well, it wouldn't be so hard if you stopped touching me!" she snapped back. Sango gasped at what she had just said, clamping a hand over her mouth.

"Oh! Sango, I wasn't aware you had such a dirty mouth," he said shamelessly, giving her a sly grin.

"Yeah, well...you make me that way, dirty lecher," she replied hotly.

"I wonder what else I make you..." he asked, looking as innocent as a child, with his dark blue eyes fixed on the heavens.

"Stop that already, it's embarrassing!" she pleaded. "Don't give them any ideas." She cocked her head behind to the priestess and taiyoukai.

"But I could probably teach them a few things," the monk prodded, making Sango blush feverishly.

"Not if I don't let you!" With that, Sango broke into a run, her blue knapsack swinging from her arm as she dashed into the forest.

"Wait, there might be demons! I'll save you, dear Sango!" and Miroku disappeared after her. Kagome giggled softly, knowing that even though Miroku's intentions were honest, his ability to express them were limited.

After a moment's silence, in which she was quite comfortable, the footsteps behind her made her feel the opposite. She thought strongly about copying her companions and running in a similar fashion, but she knew it would be useless. She also considered talking her way out of her impending fate, and yet seriously doubted she could get past the word 'no'. Using the recently acquired Shikon jewel also seemed a good option in case of an emergency, but what sort of emergency was being hot and bothered by a extremely tall and dazzling youkai? Perhaps he would only tease her more. She could handle that, right? Yes, if she could handle a sinister being such as Naraku, then she could manage Inuyasha's brother.

What she did not expect was sheer boldness on Sesshoumaru's part. As Kagome tried to keep her pace steady, putting one foot in front of the other, she was brought to a shuddering halt. Five fingers and a palm had cupped themselves around half of her backside, squeezing and testing the plump flesh. Once again, her heart skipped a beat and even jumped into her throat. Did he just--?! She whirled around, and glared as angrily as she could at him. Before she could even sputter a protest, he gave his thoughts in the form of a short monologue.

"I see now, this is why the monk is so intent on touching that human girl," he mused calmly. "The overall effect is quite pleasant."

"You can't just do that, you know!" she screeched, shielding herself from any more groping.

"And yet, you did not stop me," he replied, mirroring their last abrupt encounter.

"Well, I'm stopping you now," she huffed. "You walk in front of me from now on. We have to keep up with everyone." Her eyes searched the sky for Kilala and the children, but they were nowhere to be found.

"Do as you like," he repeated, "Just don't expect yourself to keep resisting." He then proceeded to walk ahead of her, confusing her again with another riddle.

"It's not that difficult to resist you. I just have to think about what a cold-hearted jerk you are, and that you're related to Inuyasha, and that you called me a wench too," she rambled, determined to keep her real thoughts about him inside her head.

"I only speak the truth," he replied, then just to ruffle her feathers, he added, "wench."

"There you go again! You can't call me a wench just like that."

"And yet, you are not stopping me," he reiterated. She groaned loudly, clearly frustrated.

"Fine! I just won't talk!" she said firmly, and determinedly pressed her lips together in an effort to keep completely quiet. If she didn't give him reason to insult her, then nothing would happen. They would eventually run into everyone and she could leave him behind with the promise that he would leave her alone.

Ten minutes had passed, and Kagome was about to go mad. The oath of silence she had taken was already wearing on her, and she wanted to scream. Over those ten minutes, loads of questions had floated up into her mind, questions about Sesshoumaru, about Rin, about Tessaiga. But mostly about Sesshoumaru himself. But if she let even one question slip, he would probably call her his favorite nickname of 'wench', and confuse her even more by using that infuriating circular reasoning he was so good at.

Luckily, there were other things to think about as they traveled through the forest. She could name the trees and plants that they passed by, along with animals and creatures that were considered mythical in her time. However, this became boring after a while, seeing as how the vegetation in this forest seemed to be the same three trees, and the animals only consisted of occasional mosquitoes, and birds flying overhead. She needed something else to keep her occupied...

Obviously, Sesshoumaru was the most colorful being in the area, so she found herself staring at him for most of the walk, if not ninety-nine percent of the time. The most beautiful feature he had was his hair. Hair was the simplest word to describe what it was, but it was a drastic understatement. Long, flowing, shimmering. Sleek, unchanging, soft, and silver. Soon, her hands were just itching to touch a few strands. When they were at the stream earlier, she had the precious honor of being close enough to feel the gossamer threads against her face. Kagome wondered absentmindedly if and when he ever had time to take care of it all. It seemed clean and well-kempt, even during the few battles with Inuyasha, he managed to keep from slicing away the length of his hair by keeping it behind him. Her hand reached out, and was suddenly filled with a palm's width of soft, silver locks. It was like touching heaven.

"I told you," Sesshoumaru turned around within a blink of an eye, trapping her against a wide oak tree, "that you shouldn't expect yourself to keep resisting." It was like getting caught with her hand in a cookie jar.

"I don't know what you mean," she spat, looking away from him. She refused to admit her childish admiration for that certain feature of his.

"Is this not how humans return their affections? One touch for another touch is considered acceptable, correct?" he pressed.

"I don't know, I guess. Sometimes. But then what do you call this?" she mumbled.

" 'Getting even', I believe is the appropriate phrase."

"Wait, you touched me first, then I touched your hair. That made us even, not this." Kagome blushed, fully realizing the position she was in at the moment. They were just as close as they were back at the stream, except this time she couldn't back up.

"I see. Then in order to level our relational status, you must touch me somewhere." She felt like pushing him away and tackling him at the same time. He said it so calmly, but there was no way she could do something like that! At least, not with him looking at her.

"F-fine. Then close your eyes." Surprisingly, he obeyed. After waiting a few seconds, just to make sure his eyes stayed shut, she slowly reached up a hand to his cheek. Starting with just her forefinger, she brushed his skin slowly. Her other fingers joined so that the feel of his smooth flesh was maximized. Right as her palm met his jaw line, his hand grabbed her wrist and pulled it over his shoulder.

Just like at the stream, his lips were touching hers. Only this was so much closer and more personal. It was similar to what he did on her neck, but longer and more drawn out. It was something foreign and forbidden, and yet she seemed to know how it all worked. But how was that? She had only kissed one other person before; wasn't he the only one she should be kissing? As these thoughts came across her mind, she suddenly remembered that the person she cared about wasn't the same person that she had her first kiss with. And Sesshoumaru was neither one of them!

She managed to break the kiss, which was about to make a dangerous turn. Sesshoumaru was not agreeing with her decision and attempted to resume it with vigor. Kagome barely managed to dodge him, and felt relieved for a small moment. That is, until he settled for second best and sank his fangs into her neck.

"Stop!" she shouted, pushing at his chest. His tongue was at work again, making her weak in the knees. She couldn't formulate a single thought, except mindless babbling. He kept nipping and biting at her blood mark, and her memory sharpened.

"It wasn't Inuyasha! He didn't do it," she finally confessed. Sesshoumaru released her, lifting his head to look at her flushed face. He was licking his lips again, and she looked away.

"Kagome, you have managed to inform me of information I am already aware of. If I recall correctly, it was I that came to this conclusion in the first place. From now on, do not tell me things I already know." She moaned as his mouth found a new target, and his teeth were at her earlobe.

"It was Naraku. He did that to me." She wanted to take back her words immediately. Apparently, Sesshoumaru did not mind doing these things to her if nobody else had done them first. But upon hearing this new information, he backed away and became cold. Kagome plucked up the courage to look into his eyes. She thanked the heavens that he was not disgusted with her. He simply went back to looking as he always did, as someone who was indifferent.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Sesshoumaru took her hand and pulled her away from the tree. As they walked in the direction that Miroku and the rest of the group were, he let her walk as an equal, side by side. She wanted to plead to him not to hate her, and not to treat her like some dirty, discarded object. However, there was no need. Until they came upon her friends, he continued to hold her hand.

Miroku and the others had stopped their walk and had formed a circle. Kagome didn't know what had caught their attention until she joined the circle. What she saw wanted to make her throw up.

A pale, petite girl, with white hair and a white kimono, complete with a white flower in her bangs, lay lifeless in the dull earth. Her eyes were open and blank, filled with an inky, black darkness that seemed to go on forever. She might have just been a monotone little child, staring silently at the blue sky, if not for the thick blade sticking out of her chest. A dark, and somehow evil stain spread in a perfect circle from the knife. There was no question that she was dead.

Sango was covering Shippo's eyes, on the verge of tears. Miroku bent down to close the mysterious girl's eyes, then said a silent prayer for her soul. Rin was crying, and as soon as she saw Sesshoumaru come over the hill, she ran to him and cried on his hakama. Kilala mewed sadly, pawing at the dead girl's hand.

"How did this happen?" Kagome asked out loud.

"We don't know. We came across her just now, and... I can't believe someone would murder a child like this." Miroku, who was normally a strong person, was as white as salt. He took up Kilala in his arms, so as not to disturb the body any further.

"Let's give her a proper burial, so her soul will travel safely to the afterlife." Miroku began to pick her up, but Sesshoumaru stopped him.

"Go, prepare the burial site. I will take her." Everyone gaped, wondering what possessed him to do such a thing. The monk nodded, and proceeded to find a suitable spot for the grave. Sango took Shippo, Kilala and Rin away so they could work. Kagome went to search for a proper gravestone and some flowers. Once found, she joined Miroku, who had dug a shallow opening using his staff and his hands. She put the stone at the top of the grave, then the flowers on top of the stone. They backed away as Sesshoumaru brought the girl. The knife had been removed.

"Keep going. I shall take care of the rest." Not knowing why he gave such a command, everyone left the area without question. Sesshoumaru laid the girl on her back and he withdrew Tenseiga.

"At least, this sword has it's use," he said to himself. He gave one swift slash against her chest, slaying the imp-like demons surrounding her body. After a brief wait, the girl opened her eyes. They still looked as lifeless as ever, and yet she was sitting up, plainly alive.

"Who are you?" he asked, putting Tenseiga away.

"I am Kanna. Who are you?" she asked in turn.

"I am Sesshoumaru, ruler of the Western Lands. Who murdered you?"

"Naraku, my creator. Why did you bring me back to life?"

"Naraku is our enemy. In payment for reviving you, will you help us defeat him?"

"Revenge is in order. I shall help you by bringing you to his castle."

"Good. Do not tell him it was I who gave you life again. Swear it."

"I swear. From now on, you shall be my creator. Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Excellent. Come, Kanna." And she obeyed. Although their conversation was short, their similar personalities made them ideal for working together. They both returned to the group, causing everyone to simultaneously ask how the girl was alive again. He explained the advantage they would have if this girl, named Kanna, would lead them to Naraku. At first, everyone was in favor of this idea, until Kagome spoke up.

"Hold on, aren't we supposed to be looking for Inuyasha?" she asked worriedly.

"Yes, but... don't you think that if we find one, we'll find the other? Inuyasha wants to defeat Naraku just as much as any of us, if not more."

"That's true. But still, I want to stay on Inuyasha's trail. I can't stand the thought of never seeing him again.," she insisted.

"Now, don't think like that, Kagome-sama," Miroku said softly. "We'll come across him sooner or later. Just have faith." She nodded, and looked at the girl named Kanna.

"You say you'll help us find Naraku. Is there any way you can help find Inuyasha also?" Kanna gave her an infinite stare, then nodded.

"How? I mean, you're just a little girl."

"I was Naraku's incarnation. He gave me a special power," she stated simply. "I can find any person, and any location you need."

"How can you do that?"

"All I need is a mirror." Kagome thought for a moment, then set down her knapsack and opened a side pocket. Inside was a small, circular compact. She handed it to the pale girl, expecting some great miracle to happen.

"Now what?" Kagome asked.

"Who do you want?" Kanna asked blankly.

"Well, Inuyasha, of course." Other than a nod, Kanna did not acknowledge them any further. Soon, a thick white fog filled the tiny mirror, and Kagome leaned in close to peer through the mirror.

What she saw made no sense. What she saw made her angry. What she saw in the mirror made her hate Inuyasha more than she ever had in her life.

* * *

Bahahaha! I'm back after a whole year, and what do I do to you guys? I give you a terrible cliffhanger!! It gives me time to make up more plot, and it gives you time to rip your hair out. I hope none of you hate me, you know? I tried to give all the characters some plot time, and even some lovin'. Naraku has some competition! Oh noes! Give me some suggestions on what he should do about it. In fact, give me some suggestion on anything doing with this story, or life in general. I don't know. Anyway, have fun predicting my next chapter turn out XD

-love, Mooniestar


	9. DeceptionPreview

**A/N:** Hi there, bet you're surprised to see this, huh? You are not dreaming! I want to assure you. I am, without a doubt, continuing this once-forsaken story, selfishly hoping to get some pageviews and much-needed replies. I remember a time when I used to produce fanfics like I would produce fanart: a lot. I currently have about 12 stories on here; let me tell you, that's not even 1/4th of all the fanfics I've ever written, especially while I was in high school. I could come up with a plot like nobody's business! Sadly, that's taken a drastic downfall, but I like to think that I'm plodding on, even five years later.

Anyway, here is a preview for the next chapter of Hypnotic. I hope you enjoy, and please keep in mind that I haven't written in a while, especially on this story. It's gone through like four different drafts, I swear. Ugh. Happy reading!

**Chapter 9**

Deception-- Preview

Kagome stared in shock at the tiny mirror in Kanna's hands, her mind numb with disbelief. What... what was this? But as the scene began to register with her, anger began to boil inside her chest, bubbling in her stomach. How dare he--!

"Inuyasha!" she cried hoarsely, falling to her knees and digging her nails into her thighs. The pain didn't even faze her. Everyone around her seemed to fall into darkness, until she was left alone with that small, reflective surface floating in front of her.

The mist swirled openly to reveal Inuyasha holding Kagura in his lap like an abandoned kitten. She seemed to be crying, and the silver-haired boy was stroking her back, from the nape of her neck to the bottom of her spine. The woman's hands clenched his haori, curling up into his embrace. Kagome could see him whispering things to her, his lips brushing against her forehead. In response, Kagura nodded into his chest, nuzzling him as her body shook with sobs. Her arms came around his neck as their faces met. Suddenly, the mist thickened, hiding the two in a shroud of white. Inuyasha was saying something, but Kagome blocked it out. She didn't want to hear anything that he said to that woman. A burning wetness dripped down Kagome's face.

As soon as the mirror went blank, everything around her came rushing back into reality. The sounds of the birds, the wind swaying the trees, the presence of her companions, the copper tang of blood in her mouth. She stood up very stiffly, staring straight forward.

"Kagome-sama...? What's the matter, what did you see?" Miroku asked her, standing by her side. He became more concerned when she didn't answer and when he saw her expression, or lack thereof. The monk put his hands on her shoulders, looking her straight in the eyes. She had no reaction.

"Kagome, talk to us," pleaded Sango, taking her friends hand into her own. It was limp in her gentle palm.

"It's no use," came Sesshoumaru's voice. The two of them turned to face Inuyasha's brother, looking worried.

"What do you mean, what's wrong with her?"

"She is in shock. Although we could not see what was in that mirror, it was clearly something traumatizing. And the only clue we have is that she saw Inuyasha. However, unless she speaks to us, where he is or what he is doing is unknown."

"So... what do we do?" Sango asked, looking at her friend's unchanging face.

"We continue on. We will find Inuyasha and I will claim Tessaiga, and you can defeat Naraku." He seemed awfully calm about the situation.

"Do you know where Naraku's castle is?" asked Shippo quietly. Everyone went silent. "I mean, doesn't that make sense? If we don't know where Inuyasha is right now, but we know where he's going, then we can just meet him there, right?"

"Of course Sesshoumaru-sama knows where it is! He knows everything," replied Rin proudly, looking up at her master. "Isn't that right, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Hn," he murmured, looking indifferent. Rin instantly gasped, clapping her hand over her mouth.

"You mean-- you don't know?! Ahh, I can't believe there's something that even my lord doesn't know!" she cried dramatically. Shippo rolled his eyes.

"Rin, he doesn't know everything, he's not perfect!" Shippo replied, crossing his arms.

"Maybe not to you, but I think he is," the girl protested, sticking out her tongue.

"That still doesn't mean he knows everything!"

"Kids, stop fighting," Sango scolded, coming between them. "If Sesshoumaru knew--"

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Address him properly!" Rin piped up. Sango sighed, then continued.

"If Sesshoumaru-sama knew where Naraku's castle was, then I'm sure we'd be halfway there by now," she finished. She looked up at the taiyoukai, hoping that he would give a suitable answer.

"I do not know. However..." He walked around to where Kanna was standing and looked down menacingly, "I'm sure that this girl knows. Correct?" Kanna blinked, then nodded.

"Take us there," Sesshoumaru demanded.

"Yes, my lord." Then Kanna did something that was unusual. She closed the compact in her hands and walked towards the catatonic figure of Kagome. With obvious care, she touched the edge of it to Kagome's fingers, wanting to give it back to her. Other than twitching her forefinger, Kagome did not move to take it. Kanna stared monotonously, then tried again.

"It's okay, here," said Miroku kindly, taking the mirror himself, "Thank you for returning it."

"It is not mine," she replied matter-of-factly. The monk chuckled at her response.

"Try saying 'You're welcome' instead. It's the proper answer when someone thanks you," he said, smiling.

"You are welcome," she said flatly.

"Well, it's a start. So, Kanna, shall we be on our way?"

"Yes. Follow me. I will take you to Naraku's castle." Everyone, excluding Sesshoumaru and Kagome, found themselves sighing with relief. They finally felt like they were getting somewhere.

"Come on, Kagome, " said Sango, pulling at her friend's hand. But the girl did not follow and stayed rooted to the spot. "She's not moving, Miroku. What do we--?"

"I'll take her," offered Sesshoumaru. Before the two of them could sputter a protest, the taiyoukai picked up Kagome with great ease, and she limply curled her arms around his neck, laying her head on his chest. Sango and Miroku looked at each other, wondering if they should make an objection. However, Kagome seemed to be calm in his arms and it was settled.

Kanna was already walking away, showing that she was ready and willing to take them to their destination. With great apprehension, everyone followed in turn.

~~Tsuzuke~~


End file.
